LOS ANGELES— The Occidental College baseball team is addicted to close finishes, and the series finale against Pomona-Pitzer was no exception. Tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth with the go-ahead runner 90 feet away, pinch runner Jeffrey Johnson got the green light and stole home to put the Tigers up for good.

The 5-4 win improves Occidental's record to 17-9 overall and 13-5 in SCIAC play. The Sagehens drop to 19-7 and 11-4.

The Tigers have won eight of nine one-run games this season.

Tight SCIAC Race

After this weekend's results, the Tigers find themselves in third place behind second place Pomona-Pitzer. Cal Lutheran and Chapman are at the Tigers heels each with a 10-5 SCIAC record. The Tigers have a huge series next weekend against first place La Verne (15-9, 12-3 SCIAC).

Big 7th Inning

After trailing all game, the Tigers caught fire in the seventh, scoring nine runs to tie the game.Victor Munoz got Oxy started with a lead off double to centerfield. 

Jake Chambers followed it up with a single that brought in Munoz in a close play at the plate. In a controversial call, the run counted but Munoz was thrown out of the play for targeting the catcher.

"The call definitely provided an emotional jolt to the team and kick started us," head coach Luke Wetmore said. "But that's our guys, if we're close late in the game, they're going to find a way to win."

Center fielder Jonathan Wong kept the momentum rolling with a stand-up double down the left-field line to score Chambers.

Wong scored the final run of the inning on a heads-up play, crossing the plate while the Sagehens attempted to throw out Walker Marks at second.

Johnathan Brooks, who homered in the first game of the doubleheader, singled down the left field line in the eighth to set up Johnson's score.

Scot Ericksen pitced the final two innings for the Tigers to get the win and David Gerics walked away with the loss for Pomona-Pitzer. James Riley went 6.1 innings as Oxy's starter with a strike out and four earned runs.

Game 1: Pomona-Pitzer 9, Occidental 1

The long ball killed the Tigers in Game 1 with the Sagehens' first four runs coming off home runs.

Tanner Nishioka hit a bomb to left field in the first inning and Kenny Rabin followed it up with one of his own in the second. Shortstop Sam Fox finished it off with a two-run shot in the top of eight for the 4-1 lead.

Tigers' designated hitter Jonathan Brooks added a solo shot of his own just inside the right-field foul pole to pull the score even in the bottom of the first. 

Nolan Watson pitched 7.1 innings with three strikeouts in the loss. 

Next Game: The Tigers open up their series against the La Verne Leopards at 3 pm next Friday at Anderson Field.