Bearcats Rally from 6-0 Deficit to Defeat Occidental 10-6 in 10 Innings

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Willamette University rallied from a 6-0 deficit after four innings to defeat Occidental College, 10-6 in 10 innings, on Sunday, Feb. 14 in the final game of a three-game series. Earlier, the teams completed a game suspended on Saturday, with Occidental earning a 5-4 win.

The Bearcats ended the day with a 4-4 overall record. Occidental moved to 2-2 on the season.

Big Rally for Extra-Inning Win

In the full game on Sunday, Occidental scored four runs in the second inning and two in the third. Willamette began its rally in the top of the fifth with one run. The Bearcats tacked on two runs in the sixth and scored three times in the seventh for a 6-6 tie.

Neither team scored again until the Bearcats plated four runs on four hits in the top of the tenth. With one out, Austin Hagarty (Sr., 2B, Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS) connected for his second double of the game and Mason Fessler (So., INF, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School) was intentionally walked.

Eric Del Prado (So., INF, El Segundo, CA/Loyola HS) singled to left field to load the bases. Gordie Clary (Sr., RF/LHP, Vacaville, CA/Vacaville HS) batted next and belted a two-RBI double, as Hagarty and Fessler crossed the plate for an 8-6 lead. With two outs, Tyler Janitz (Fr., INF, Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) sent a single down the right field line to score Del Prado and Clary.

In the bottom of the 10th, Jackson Watt (Sr., RHP, Rocklin, CA/Whitney HS) struck out Jared Baur to start the inning, but Charlie Caccamo singled to right. Devon DeRaad flied out to center, before Reid Gibbs hit a single near the line in right field, moving Caccamo to third. Jack Brancheau flied out to second to end the game.

Watt pitched 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief with two strikeouts and six hits allowed to grab the win. He is 1-0 on the season. Josh Cohen, the fifth of six pitchers used by Occidental during the game, fell to 0-1 with the loss.

The Tigers' four-run outburst in the second inning started with consecutive singles by Walker Marks, Bryan Smith and Willson Terrall. Marks scored on Terrall's hit. A sacrifice by Liam Fischer on an unsuccessful fielder's choice drove in Smith and moved Terrall to second. Baur advanced the runners again with a sacrifice bunt, before Brady Fuller hit a two-RBI single to left.

Brancheau and Marks scored in the third inning to give Occidental a 6-0 lead. Brancheau crossed the plate when Terrall reached first on an error. Marks went home on a sacrifice bunt by Fischer.

Fessler put Willamette's rally in motion with a one-out triple in the fifth inning. He scored on the play following an error in right field.

In the sixth, Connor Bailey (Fr., OF, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Janitz doubled to drive in Bailey. Later in the inning, Janitz scored on a groundout to shortstop by Shea Harrison (Sr., CF/RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS).

An RBI double by Clary and a two-run single by Bailey brought home Willamette's three runs in the top of the seventh. Fessler scored on Clary's hit, while Bailey's shot down the line drove in Del Prado and Clary with the tying runs.

Occidental earned two hits in the eighth, had two base runners in the ninth, and had two hits in the 10th. Watt survived all three stanzas to keep the Tigers at bay.

Janitz was 3 for 4 with three RBIs, two walks and a run scored. Clary was 2 for 6 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs, while Fessler was 2 for 4 and scored three times. Hagarty finished 2 for 5 with two doubles. Marks was 4 for 4 with two runs and a double for the Tigers. Brancheau went 2 for 6.

Completion of Suspended Game

The Bearcats and the Tigers began the day by completing the second game of Saturday's doubleheader which was suspended in the bottom of the seventh inning. Neither team scored in the final two innings, as Occidental claimed a 5-4 win.

On Saturday, Occidental took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Caccamo singled to begin the stanza, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gibbs. Caccamo scored one out later when Jamie Cooper reached base on a throwing error.

Willamette tied the game in its next at bat. With one out, Janitz reached base on a fielder's choice as Occidental recorded the second out. Janitz advanced to second on a throwing error by the catcher, and then scored on a single by Jacob Parra (Jr., C, Everett, WA/Mariner HS/Edmonds CC).

The Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the second. Eamon McNeil tripled, but held at third one out later on a single by Graham Pimm. McNeil was thrown out at home when Smith hit into a fielder's choice. Pimm moved to second on the play, and eventually scored on a single down the right field line by Caccamo.

Occidental left the bases loaded in the third inning, but scored two runs in the fourth to increase its advantage to 4-1. With two outs, Gibbs reached base on a throwing error at second.  DeRaad was intentionally walked and Cooper was hit by a pitch. DeRaad and Gibbs scored on a single by Brancheau.

The Bearcats quickly tied the score with a trio of runs in the top of the fifth. With two outs and a runner on base, Harrison blasted a two-run homer to left field. Parra also scored on the play. Hagarty followed with another homer to left field.

The final run of the game was scored by Occidental in the sixth. DeRaad walked with one out and advanced to second. Cooper singled to move DeRaad to third. Brancheau connected for a single through the left side, sending DeRaad across the plate with the go-ahead run.

Occidental outhit Willamette 10-7. Brancheau finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Caccamo, Pimm and Cooper each recorded two hits. Parra was 2 for 3 with a run, a walk and an RBI for Willamette.

Riley James, 1-0, pitched the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to get the win for Occidental, while Marks earned his first save. Lucas Still (So., RHP, Sacramento, CA/Christian Brothers HS), 0-2, received the loss for the Bearcats.

Up Next for the Bearcats

Willamette will travel to Walla Walla, Washington, next weekend to open Northwest Conference play against Whitman College. The teams will play doubleheaders on Saturday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 21, starting at 12 p.m. (PST) each day. The fourth game will be a non-conference game.