LOS ANGELES — Devon DeRaad hit his fourth home run in three games, Nolan Watson was solid in his first start and the Occidental baseball team opened the season with a series victory, hitting the ball all over Anderson Field on their way to a 11-7 victory over Pacific (Ore.) on Sunday.
After falling in Game 1 on Saturday, the Tigers take consecutive games from the Boxers, improving to 2-1 overall.
Pacific heads back to Forrest Grove, Ore. with a 1-2 record after a weekend in Los Angeles.
Watson gave up one earned run with four strikeouts in four innings of work.
DeRaad, who started the season red hot, going 3 for 6 with a pair of home runs, three runs scored and four RBIs on Saturday, added to an incredible weekend, with two more homers. He drove a solo shot over the right-field wall in the second inning and then hit a two-run bomb to left field to give Oxy its 11-5 lead in the eighth.
DeRaad finished the day 3 for 4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and also pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts.
Big First Inning: The Tigers knocked out Boxers' starter Paul Wolfram before an out was recorded and batted around in the first inning, putting the game out of reach early.
It started with Victor Munoz nailing a line-drive, RBI-single back up the middle, scoring Charlie Caccamo. Then DeRaad and A.J. Libunao brought in runs with bunts. Jonathan Wong followed it with a double to left center, scoring DeRaad and Munoz.
Walker Marks drove in the fifth run of the inning with an RBI sacrifice fly to center and Chris Strainbrought home the sixth win a bloop single to shallow left center.
Oxy added two runs in fifth inning on a botched bunt play by Pacific that allowed runners on second and third to come around and score.
Boxer Runs: Pacific gave Oxy its biggest scare with four unearned runs on a pair of errors by the Tigers that cut the lead to 9-5 in the sixth. DeRaad moved to the mound from right field and got the final out with the bases loaded.
The Boxers added two more unearned runs in the ninth.
Munoz the Man Behind the Dish: Oxy catcher Victor Munoz continued his excellent defense behind the dish for the Tigers, throwing out his fourth runer of the season in an unlikely double play that helped Watson get out of a jam in the second. With no outs and runners on first and second, Munoz blocked strike three in the dirt and picked off the runner at first.
Next Game: The Tigers open SCIAC play against Chapman on Feb. 13 at Anderson Field.
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