Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College baseball team dropped a pair of Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) games to Occidental College 5-4 & 12-4.
The Purple & Gold had their chances to split but couldn't hold a late lead but couldn't hold a late lead in Game 1. They drop now to 3-11, 0-6 SCIAC.
Game 1 (L, 5-4)
After falling behind 2-0 early the Poets bounced back with a four spot in the bottom half of the 5th. Brandon Lara-Mack (San Gabriel, Calif.) started things off with a single and after a sacrifice bunt from River Danner (Seal Beach, Calif.) Devon Robinson (Soquel, Calif.) then reached getting hit by a pitch. After that the Poet bats flowed with Alexander Jelloian (Chatsworth, Calif.) and Justin Ryan (Riverside, Calif.) both collecting singles followed by a Dane Goodman (Ross, Calif.) double down the left field line.
This 4-2 advantage would hold over the next three innings as Austin Correia (San Diego, Calif.) put together his best start of the season. He went 6.0 Innings strong giving up two runs (both unearned) on four hits. He also added five strikeouts. He gave way to Alex Escobar (Brea, Calif.) in the 7th who got into a little jam with runners on first and second. He was taken out and replaced by Jacob DeLongchamp (Beaumont, Calif.) who recorded the final out of the inning that kept the two-run lead intact.
After a 1-2-3 Inning from DeLongchamp in the 8th, he would face trouble in the 9th. After recording two quick outs he then gave up three singles to the Tigers, which gave way to Jacob Bauer (Pleasanton, Calif.) coming in relief. But the senior faced trouble hitting the first batter he faced that loaded the bases and that then led to an Andrade double to right that brought in the game-tying and eventual game-winning runs.
DeLongchamp was charged with the loss going 2.0 Innings giving up three runs on three hits. Jelloian and Ryan were each 1-for-4 on the day and Goodman, Lara-Mack, and Mike Hernandez (Stockton, Calif.) were each 1-for-3.
Game 2 (L, 12-4)
Oxy jumped out in front in Game 2 with six runs over the first two innings. Whittier was able to get one back in their opening at-bats as Ryan would come in after Goodman was caught in a lengthy pickle.
Over the 4th, 5th, and 6th Innings the Tigers added another five runs. Despite the Poets providing some pushback with two in the 5th and another run in the 6th, it wouldn't be enough to complete a comeback as a late run in the 8th would secure the sweep for Oxy.
Dante Mancia (La Mirada, Calif.) was charged with the loss earning the start and going 0.2 innings. He gave up five runs on seven hits. He drops now to 0-3.
Ryan was a perfect 4-for-4 scoring twice and driving in another. Hernandez was 3-for-4 and Bauer was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Tanner Barnes (Littleton, CO) earned the start behind the dish and added a 1-for-5 effort with a double and a run scored.
