Claremont, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer Softball team scored seven runs in the second inning of a 9-1 win in the opener, and seven in third inning of an 8-0 win in the nightcap, as it took two from Occidental on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman center fielder Leah Bleichner (Simi Valley, Calif. - pictured) was 3-for-3 with two RBI in the opener and 4-for-4 combined in the two games for the Sagehens, who improve to 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the SCIAC with the sweep. Occidental slips to 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the SCIAC with the losses, which were both shortened to five innings due to the eight-run rule.

Freshman Fiona Riley (Berkeley, Calif.) had her first career shutout in the nightcap, tossing a three-hitter over five innings of work.

In the opener, the Sagehens scored a run in the first inning as Bleichner had an RBI single to shortstop, before breaking it open with seven in the second. Freshman third baseman Jessica Liu (Alama, Calif.) had an RBI single, and a sacrifice fly from sophomore pitcher Caitlyn Hynes (Upland, Calif.) made it 3-0. Senior shortstop Ari Roach (Pinole, Calif.) followed with a two-run double to push the lead to 5-0 and Bleichner followed with her second RBI single of the game.

Freshman catcher Emily Glass (Davis, Calif.) tacked on an RBI single, and an error allowed the final run of the inning to score. An error in the fourth inning added an insurance run, and it came in handy as Kristine Kocjan had an RBI double in the fifth to make it 9-1, but the Tigers could come no closer.

In addition to Bleichner's 3-for-3 effort, Roach was 2-for-3 with two RBI, Glass was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Liu was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hynes went 3.1 innings to get the win for Pomona-Pitzer, while Riley closed out the final 1.2 innings with three strikeouts.

The nightcap was 0-0 through two innings, before the Sagehens exploded with a seven-run third. Freshman left fielder Ashley Morello (Santa Cruz, Calif.) started it with an RBI single to score Liu, and Glass hit a two-run double with the bases loaded to push the lead to 3-0. Junior third baseman Kathryn Rabak (Grass Valley, Calif.) added an RBI single, and Riley helped her own cause with another RBI single. Senior right fielder Emily Buika (Long Beach, Calif.) capped off the inning with an RBI single to make it 7-0.

Morello then ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out RBI single to score Liu, who reached base on a single. Morello was 3-for-4 with two RBI in the nightcap, while Rabak and Buika were each 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Riley struck out five and walked one to get the shutout in the circle. Two of the three hits she allowed were leadoff doubles, but she left both base runners stranded.

Pomona-Pitzer will be back in action tomorrow when it travels to La Sierra to face the host Golden Eagles and Cal State San Marcos in a pair of games.