LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Gage Gibson's double with two outs in the ninth inning drove in the go-ahead runs as visiting Whitworth rallied for a 4-2 win over Occidental on Friday afternoon.

The Pirates improved to 6-1 by taking the opener of a three-game series, while the Tigers fell to 3-4.  The squads will play a doubleheader on Saturday.

Austin Rice allowed two runs, one earned, over eight innings to improve to 2-0 this season.  Connor Grytdal threw the ninth to pick up his first save of the year.

After Occidental scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth to break a scoreless tie, the Pirates scored their first run in the sixth on Dawson Warner's first home run of the season.  The Tigers retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Michael Netzel hit a solo home run.

Whitworth's game-winning rally in the ninth inning came with two outs.  Grayson O'Neil and Joe Howell both beat out infield singles to keep the Bucs alive.  Gibson followed with his two-run double down the right field line to give Whitworth the lead.  Ben Wintringer added a double of his own to drive in Gibson with an insurance run, but Wintringer was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple.

Grytdal allowed only a single with two outs in the ninth.

Warner, Wintringer, O'Neil and Howell all had two hits apiece to lead the Pirates at the plate.

Nolan McCarthy (0-2) started on the mound for the Tigers and took the loss.  He went nine innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits.  He struck out 11 Pirates.