LOS ANGELES — The Occidental baseball team was a close call away from completing a ninth-inning rally that would have at least sent the second game of its non-conference doubleheader with Rutgers-Newark into extra innings on Saturday.

But with one out and runners on first and third, trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Devon DeRaad bounced into a controversial 4-6-3 double play that ended the game.

Rutgers-Newark's middle infield was playing double-play depth. Gerry Patrizio, its second baseman, bobbled the ball on the right side of the infield before he got the flip to Carlos Cruz, the shortstop covering second base, who threw to first on a play that was going to have either side livid if the call went against it.

The field umpire called DeRaad, a left-handed hitter with decent speed, out and the run that crossed the plate didn't count, ending the game at 6-5 and Oxy's chances of overcoming what was at once a 5-2 Scarlet Raiders lead.

In the at bat prior to DeRaad's, Charlie Caccamo drove in Jake Chambers with a ground ball that was booted by Rutgers-Newark third baseman Nick Gencarelli.

Chambers and Scott Ericksen started the ninth-inning rally for the Tigers with singles back up the middle.

The Tigers were fighting an uphill battle most of the game, but they were actually the first to scratch with a pair of runs during a two-out rally in the first. Johnathan Wong hit a sharp single off of the shortstop, bringing in Johnathan Brooks and Victor Munoz.

Brady Fuller hit an RBI-single to bring in Ryan Furhman in the fourth and DeRaad hit a single to left that scored Caccamo in the seventh.

The Scarlet Raiders got three of their runs off of home runs by Cameron Diaz and Josh Tote during a four-run third inning.

Chris Nichols earned the win as Rutgers-Newark's starter, pitching six innings.

Oxy starter Riley James struck out eight in seven innings of work, but gave up four earned in a losing effort. 

Game 1 Recap: Occidental 8, Rutgers-Newark 4