TUCSON, Ariz. --- The George Fox baseball team bounced back Saturday, as the Bruins earned their first win of the season over Occidental, 6-2.

Recap:
AJ Atherton received his first collegiate start in the final day of the Cactus Classic, pitching 5.0 innings and allowing just two hits and two runs. The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the first with one run, but the Bruins responded with one of their own in the top of the second. Bryan Branstatter recorded a two-out RBI after bringing Matt Voelzke home for the first run.

Oxy managed to get one more on the board in the bottom of the third before the Bruins' pitching staff settled in for the remainder of the game.

The Bruins found their bats in the seventh and eighth innings, recording one run in the seventh and four in the eighth. Dillon Blankenship doubled down the right field line to bring in Voelzke for his second run scored in the seventh. The Bruins finished the game off with four runs in the eighth to take a large lead in the closing inning. Voelzke came in to close out the game for the Bruins, giving up just one hit in the final inning.

Top Performers:
AJ Valencia went 2-4 at the plate, while Sam Swenson went a perfect 2-2 with one RBI.

What It Means:
With the win, the Bruins stand at 1-4 on the season entering Northwest Conference play.

What Comes Next:
The Bruins kick off NWC play against Lewis & Clark Saturday, Feb. 18 with a double-header.