LOS ANGELES, CA. (APR. 12, 2024)- The Whittier Poets hit the road once again Friday to play the Occidental Tigers in an afternoon SCIAC showdown. Maximus Berber (Riverside, Calif., Ramona HS) toed the rubber for the Purple and Gold and pitched a phenomenal 8+ innings. Teige Barrett (San Diego, Calif., Mira Mesa HS) also made his mark in this game with the bat and on the mound. The Poets would win the first game of the series by a final score of 5-2. 

Whittier got the scoring started in this game in the second inning. James Stirton (Cerritos, Calif., Valley Christian HS) led things off with a single and was moved over to second base on a Ty Aldridge (Hayward, Calif., Moreau Catholic HS, Allegheny College) SAC bunt. Delvan Gomez (Artesia, Calif., Gahr HS, Cerritos College) then came up and crushed a ball to left-center field that allowed Striton to come in and score the first runs of the game. 

After there were zeros put on the board for a few innings, the scoring started back up in the fifth. This time Joe Plaskett (Fremont, Calif., Washington HS) was the leader and got things started with a double to center field. Ian Watanabe (Lodi, Calif., Lodi HS) then came to the plate and singled to first base, moving Plaskett over to third. Stirton then hustled down the line and beat out what would have been an inning-ending double play, to allow Plaskett to come in and score. The Tigers responded though in the bottom of the inning. With 2-outs and 2 runners one, one of their hitters squared a ball up for a double to center field. At the end of the fifth the game was tied 2-2. 

The Poets were not going to let this game slip away from them though and answered in the top of the sixth inning. After the first 2 batters were retired, Nathan Sherman (Ventura, Calif., Buena HS) singled to right field and brought Barrett to the plate. He got his pitch and did not miss, the senior cushed a ball over the left field wall for his 11th homer of the year. Back-to-back errors by the Tigers let 1 more run come home this inning, as Whittier now had a 5-2 lead. 

This is how the game would end, with a 5-2 Whittier victory. The Poets swung it well today, 6 different players contributed to their 10 hits. Gomez led the way on the offensive side, finishing with 3 hits, 2 doubles, and an RBI. Stirton also did his part with 3 hits, 1 double, a run, and an RBI. Barrett, the 2-way star, also was great hitting the go-ahead 2-run homer and walking twice. He did not stop there though, as he came into the game to pitch with 2 runners on and the tying run at the plate. Barrett once again impressed blowing the ball past the Tiger hitters, getting the final 2 outs (1 strikeout) on his way to his 6th save of the season. 

Barrett was not the only impressive one on the mound today for Whittier, as their other 2-way beast Berber was excellent. The junior pitched 8.1 innings, only giving up 3 hits and striking out 6 on his way to his 4th victory of the season. Berber also reached a big milestone in this game, going over the 100 mark for his career strikeouts. He recorded his 100th strikeout in the bottom of the 4th inning of this game. 

Whittier had another great game 1 of the series and will look to keep rolling into the weekend games. They will be hosting the Tigers tomorrow for games 2 & 3 of the series, starting at 10:30 in the morning.