Westmont hit three home runs and won its first-ever win at the NAIA World Series on Friday, beating Cumberland (Ky.), 7-3, in an opening game in Lewiston, Idaho.
The third-seeded Warriors broke the game open with five runs in the eighth inning.
Westmont advances to take on the winner of Saturday’s game between second-seeded Georgia Gwinnett and seventh-seeded Taylor (Ind.). Taylor defeated MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 6-5 earlier in the day for the right to take on Georgia Gwinnett, which had a bye.
Westmont went out in two games in its first World Series appearance last year.
“It means a lot to our whole community,” said Westmont’s head coach Tyler LaTorre of the win. “It goes back to Robert Ruiz and the program he continued to build and broke through last year with the first trip to the World Series. It is a testament to everyone who is a part of this Westmont College community. To the players, it is just trust. We continue to believe in each other no matter who it is – up and down the lineup, in the bullpen, on the mound – it is everyone working together.”
The Warriors fell behind in the first inning as Cumberland’s Charlie Muniz his a solo homer. It was his 24th of the season.
Westmont answered with a matching run in the bottom of the first. After back-to-back walks to Robbie Haw and Brady Renck, Ryan DeSaegher reached on a ground ball to second, loading the bases. A ground ball by Bryce McFeely drove in Haw.
“This is the first time in the postseason that we haven’t scored first,” noted LaTorre. “To see us come back and score in the first after the solo home run in the top of the first was special.”
The 1-1 tie remained until the top of the fourth when the Patriots added two more. With runners on second and third and no outs, Ben Snapp singled to left to drive in Max Harper. Then Josh Simon’s ground ball to third allowed Evan St Claire to score.
LaTorre decided to stay with his sophomore pitcher Bryan Peck, who rewarded his coach with three scoreless innings after the fourth.
“Peck’s outing was awesome,” praised LaTorre. “He minimized the bigger inning, keeping it to two runs, and continued to put up zeros. The three zeros he put up after they scored allowed us to save our bullpen and go to the guys we wanted to later in the game. Keeping it at three runs allowed our offense to continue to push and finally break through in the eighth inning.”
Peck did not figure in the decision, but did get to seventh, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out one and walking two.
Patriot starter Knicko Billings carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before DeSaegher landed a single in right field. The Warriors did not score in the fifth, but the ice was broken.
In the sixth inning, Liam Critchett crushed a solo home run over the left-center field fence, pulling the Warriors to 3-2.
In the top of the eighth, Zach Yates came on in relief for the Warriors and produced a scoreless inning. Yates, who would eventually be credited with the win, gave up a walk, no hits, and struck out one.
The bottom of the eighth inning started with Shane Hofstadler reaching first, courtesy of being hit by a pitch. With Daniel Patterson serving as a courtesy runner, Michael Soper turned a 1-2 count into a walk, giving the Warriors runners on first and second.
That brought up Haw who laid down a sacrifice bunt to the first base side of the pitcher’s mound.
With Renck at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Patterson to score and Soper to advance to third. Soper then scored on a balk, giving Westmont a 4-3 lead.
Renck completed his at bat with a single into center field which he stretched into a two bases when the center fielder committed an error. Renck advanced to third when a pick-off move was thrown into right-center field.
DeSaegher hit a RBI single to left to make it a 5-3 game. Paul Mezurashi took DeSaegher’s place at first before McFeely stepped to the plate and drove a two-run home run to left.
“Coach Ontiveros told me to hunt the fast ball,” said McFeely after the game. “He flipped me a curve ball on the first pitch, so I thought he would throw me a fastball on the second pitch. He elevated the fastball, I got my barrel to it and I let fly.”
“Early on, we were a little bit defensive at the plate,” said LaTorre. “In the eighth inning, we were taking swings on our pitches and not swinging on the pitcher’s pitches and we put together quality at bats.
“Adding on runs allows your pitcher going out in the top of the ninth to not feel like every pitch has to be perfect. If we have a one-run lead and they have a lead-off single, there is a lot more at stake. By adding runs, it is a momentum build to allow the pitcher to go out and pitch his game without feeling like his back is against the wall.”
Lucien Wechsberg was asked to close out the top of the ninth inning. After giving up a lead-off single, he struck out the next three batters to complete the historic win.
“Lucian has been absolutely stunning for us the last two months of the year,” noted LaTorre. “There was no hesitation going to him in the ninth inning. Lucien has been amazing for us out of the bullpen. Zac Yates putting up a zero in the top of the eighth was awesome for us as well.”
By the time Westmont takes the field again, four teams will have been eliminated from the 10-team tournament.
“Rest is always good this time of the year,” said LaTorre. “We need to continue to get guys healthy. It also gives us an opportunity to rest our pitchers’ arms and make sure everyone is ready to go on Monday.”