The Westmont baseball team is won win away from its second straight trip to the NAIA World Series.
After having their opening game delayed a day, the top-seeded Warriors won two games on Tuesday at Russ Carr Field to put themselves in the championship game of the NAIA Opening Round Tournament.
Westmont beat fourth-seeded British Columbia, 7-6, in 10 innings, rallying from a 6-2 deficit. Robbie Haw hit a walk-off single through the left side that drove in pinch-runner Daniel Patterson from second base for the game winner.
“For Haw to get the game winning hit is amazing for him and his career. He is a leader and a guy we want up at bat,” said Westmont coach Tyler LaTorre
Westmont defeated second-seeded Benedictine Mesa, 9-2, in its second game of day to advance to the championship series on Thursday. The first game is at 10 a.m. and a second game, if necessary, will follow.
Westmont’s opponent will be the sole survivor of two elimination games on Wednesday. Third-seeded Vanguard takes on fourth-seeded British Columbia, and the winner advances to take on Benedictine Mesa at 2:30 p.m.
In the early game, sophomore ace Bryan Peck took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning. Peck, who had been scheduled to start at 4 o’clock on Monday, had to recalibrate his pre-game routine when the game was rescheduled for a 9 a.m. start the following day.
“I am proud of the way he stepped up when the game was delayed from yesterday to today,” said LaTorre. “His ability to make that change was a huge testimony to his preparation and what he does for us.
“Peck was unreal. He was efficient with the ball and got big strikeouts when he needed it. In the first couple of innings, he had a couple of hit by pitches and a couple of walks to get himself in trouble, but he had the stuff to get out of it. All those extra pitches in the first couple of innings may have worn him down in the eighth inning, but he gave us everything he had.”
In the eighth, Peck gave up two unearned runs before coming out of the game. He had allowed just four hits over seven and two-third innings while throwing 104 pitches.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, that was not the end of the scoring. The Thunderbirds recorded six runs in the innings, largely on two home runs – a two-run shot to center by Brandon Hupe and a three-run bomb by Kyle Anderson.
The bottom half of the inning proved to be a contrast of styles. Westmont scored four runs to tie the game at six runs each, but did so with six singles – many with two strikes, as La Torre pointed out.
“The bottom of the eight was something that was building throughout the game. We knocked their starter out in the fifth inning,” offered LaTorre, referring to the large pitch count of 104 by Sean Heppner in just five innings of work. The Warriors did so with long at bats, forcing Heppner to throw eight, nine or even 10 pitches per batter by repeatedly fouling off strikes.
“To come back after a gut punch like that is what we expect out of our group,” said LaTorre. “It has become a theme of the season that we have been tough outs for the opponent, even with two strikes. It showed in getting their starter out after five but also showed in the eighth inning for us, getting some two-strike hits.
The six singles came from Parker O’Neil, Finn Snyder, Shane Hofstadler, Michael Soper, Haw and Renck. Renck’s single to right drove in two runs to tie the game.
With the score tied in the top of the ninth, Gabe Arteaga came in to pitch. Arteaga would ultimately be credited with the win after pitching the final two scoreless innings and allowing just one hit.
The game was decided in the bottom of the 10th inning on Haw’s single.
The team rushed the field, mobbed Haw and erupted in celebration.
Haw went 4 for 6, including the teams’ only extra-base hit, with two runs scored and two RBIs. Brady Renck tallied four hits and drofe in two runs.
Eric Oseguera got the call in the second game and gave a solid performance.
Oseguera needed just 62 pitches to complete six innings of work. He allowed just one run on three hits, struck out two and walked one.
“Osy was unbelievable today,” praised LaTorre. “For him to go out there and pitch the way he did was absolutely fun to watch. In the biggest spot, he put us in a position to control our destiny.”
Aiden Holly came into the game in relief and allowed one run on three hits in an inning on one-third of work. He also struck out two batters.
Then, Zach Yates closed out the final inning and two-thirds, retiring all five batters he faced to secure the Warrior win.
Like the first game, Westmont scored a single run in the first inning. With the bases loaded, McFeely smashed a ball off the pitcher’s glove that redirected to the shortstop. The play resulted in a fortuitous double-play for the Redhawks, but also allowed Haw to score from third.
After Benedictine Mesa tied the game in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Bangs, the Warriors put up two runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one away, Shane Hofstadler walked and was replaced by Trey Dunn as a courtesy runner. Another out later, Haw was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. That brought up Renck who sent a triple into right field to drive in Dunn and Haw, making the score 3-1.
After recording four hits in game one, Renck went three of four from the plate in game two with two doubles and a triple. He scored one run and drove in three.
Westmont stretched its lead to 4-1 when Finn Snyder drove the ball onto the road behind the left field fence for a solo home run.
“He has been putting together good at bats all postseason,” said LaTorre.
In the sixth inning, Westmont extended its lead with three more runs. Hofstadler produced an infield single to lead off the inning, then reached second on an error. One out later, with Dunn running at second, Haw flew out to deep center field allowing Dunn to reach third. Renck followed with an RBI double to left center, then took third on a wild pitch. He scored when DeSaegher singled to right. DeSaegher went three of five in the game.
With Paul Mezurashi pinch running for DeSaegher, McFeely walked, advancing Mezurashi to second. Then, O’Neil singled to right center to plate Mezurashi and make the score 7-1.
Benedictine added a single run in the eighth to account for the final score.