Westmont hung three runs on the scoreboard in the second inning Thursday, but committed four errors that led to five unearned runs. As a result, No. 9 The Master’s left Russ Carr Field with an 8-3 win.

The Warriors fell to 3-10 overall, 2-9 in Golden State Athletic Conference play. No. 9 The Master’s improved to 14-4, 7-4.

Westmont starter Tim Crabbe (1-1) was assigned the loss after pitching five innings and giving up four runs, only one of which was earned. He allowed four hits, struck out four and issued two walks. The Master’s Ranulfo Grijalva (2-0) picked up the complete-game win, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Junior first baseman Mark Boujikian jump-started Westmont’s offense with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore right fielder Charles Whitman was hit by a pitch and then stole second base. Catcher Kyle Noe, a freshman from St. Joseph High in Santa Maria, walked and was replaced by Luke Yardy at first base as a pinch runner.

Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before freshman third baseman Jordan Bottenfield delivered a single to left-center that scored Whitman and moved Yardy to third. Freshman left fielder Brent Meschuk came up to the plate and laid down a bunt single that allowed Yardy to score. Bottenfield reached third on the play, the result of an error by the Mustangs’ third baseman.

With no outs, two on and three runs in, Westmont was threatening to blow the game open. But the
Warriors could not push another run across the plate and settled for a 3-1 lead after two innings.

Westmont threatened again in the third and fourth innings, but couldn’t score. The final out in the bottom of the fourth was the first of 14 batters in a row retired by Grijalva. In fact, a bunt single by
Whitman in the bottom of the ninth produced Westmont’s only base runner from the fifth inning on.

The Master’s, meanwhile, added a run in the top of the third, two in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh, including a seventh-inning lead-off home run to left-center field by left fielder Pete Goeman.

Westmont hosts No. 2 Azusa Pacific (17-2, 9-2) in a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Ron Smith is Westmont College‘s sports information director.