LOS ANGELES — Will Martel won his 10th game of the season as the No. 9 Occidental baseball team held on to beat Redlands 6-5 in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament at Anderson Field on Sunday.
The Tigers advance to face Cal Lutheran at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday. Oxy needs to beat undefeated Cal Lutheran on Sunday and again on Monday in order to win the double elimination tournament and receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III West Regional in Spokane, Wash.
Oxy won its first regular season SCIAC Championship since 1982, splitting the title with the Kingsmen.
The Tigers won the season series with Cal Lu 2-1.
With the benefit of a five run-cushion, Martel ate seven innings, giving up four runs before checking out of the game. The first year lefty improves his record to 10-2 with a 2.46 earned run average.
Josh Cohen gave up one run in the eighth and Riley James earned the save with a perfect ninth.
Walker Marks hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth, putting Oxy up 4-0. Marks finished 2 for 4.
Jared Baur and Brady Fuller hit RBI singles in the top of the sixth, giving the Tigers a 6-1 advantage. Fuller went 2 for 3 with a run scored, a RBI and a pair of walks. Baur was 1 for 3 and did an excellent job blocking balls in the dirt as the Tigers' catcher.
With the bases loaded in the first, Devon DeRaad grounded into a double play, bringing in Fuller for Oxy's first run.
Reid Gibbs scored on a wild pitch for the Tigers' second run in the third and then DeRaad singled inCharlie Caccamo, putting Oxy up 3-0.
Caccamo went 2 for 4.
Redlands' John Keane was charged with the loss.
Christian Conci and Christopher Scalisi both went 3 for 5 for the Bulldogs.
Schedule/Results
Double Elimination Format
Friday, May 6
Game 1: No. 4 Redlands 2, No. 1 Occidental 1 Box Score
Game 2: No. 2 Cal Lutheran 6, No. 3 Chapman 5 - Box Score
Saturday, May 7 (All Games at Oxy)
Game 3: Occidental 5, vs. Chapman 2 - 11:30 a.m. Box Score
Game 4: Cal Lutheran 6, Redlands 3 - 2:30 p.m. Box Score
Sunday, May 8 (All Games at Oxy)
Game 5: Occidental 6 vs. Redlands 5 - 11 a.m. - Box Score
Game 6 (Championship): No. 1 Occidental vs. No. 2 Cal Lutheran - 2 p.m.
Monday, May 9
Game 7 (Championship): Winner G6 vs. Loser G6 - TBD (If necessary)