Trailing No. 13 California Baptist by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Westmont scored three times to win, 3-2, earning a doubleheader split Saturday at Russ Carr Field. The runs broke a 32-inning scoreless streak by the Warriors. Cal Baptist took the days’s first game, 5-0.

Max Gutierrez took the loss for the Warriors (2-5 overall, 1-4 in Golden State Athletic Conference play) in the first game. He pitched six innings, giving up three runs on six hits, striking out three and walking four. Jon White pitched the seventh and eighth innings for the Warriors, giving up two runs on four hits. Chris Plance pitched a scoreless ninth.

Offensively, the Warriors struggled to find base runners in the first game. Westmont managed just four hits, two by sophomore catcher Luke Montzingo. Steven Goins was awarded the complete game win for the Lancers 10-5, 1-4).

The second game turned into a pitcher’s duel. Originally scheduled for seven innings, the game went into extra frames when the seventh inning came and went without a base runner crossing the plate. Neither starter figured in the decision, although both performed well. The Lancers’ Cory Allen pitched eight innings, allowing no runs and four hits, striking out nine and walking two. Westmont’s Erik Gaustad pitched seven and a third innings for the Warriors without giving up a run. He allowed six hits, struck out four and walked one.

The ninth inning saw all of the scoring. Levi Garrett led off the top of the ninth for Cal Baptist, going against Westmont’s Timothy Crabbe on the mound. Garrett reached on a single to center field and was replaced by pinch runner Andrew Brasington. One out later, Brasington reached second on a single to center by Eddie Quevedo. Crabbe then hit Dominic Zuniga with a pitch to load the bases with one out.

After coaxing Daniel Lasley to strike out, Crabbe gave up a hotly disputed RBI walk to Steve Carrillo to score the game’s first run. The Warriors were sure Carrillo had gone around on a 3-2 count, but the umpires saw it differently, allowing the run to score. Robert Lundy then recorded an RBI single to bring home Quevedo. Crabbe brought an end to the inning by getting Zach Aguirre to hit a tapper back to the mound.

Brandon Daily took the mound for the Lancer’s in the bottom of the ninth. After getting Robert De Leon to fly out to center field for the first out, Daily quickly got into trouble. David Stout earned a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Jordan Bottenfield then singled up the middle to advance Stout to first base. Terrell Wong connected on a monster shot to deep center field that would have cleared the fence in most ballparks. But at Russ Carr Field it proved to be no more than a very long single to load the bases.

Mark Boujikian pinch hit and rapped a ball down the third base line that was fielded by Aguirre, the Lancers’ third baseman. Aguirre stepped on third, retiring Bottenfield for the second out. But Aguirre had no other play as Stout crossed the plate to give Westmont its first run. Taylor Maddox then stepped up and connected on an RBI single that advanced Boujikian to second base and evened the score at two when Wong crossed the plate.

After Anthony Martinez earned a walk to load the bases, Phil Valle came up and worked the count to 3-1. Daily’s next pitch got away from him, but not from Valle, who was hit by the pitch for the game-winning RBI.

Crabbe earned his first win of the season after pitching one and two-third innings. He gave up two runs on three hits, struck out three and walked one. Dailey was assigned the loss, falling to 1-1.

On Thursday, the Warriors will play at Fresno Pacific before they host Point Loma Nazarene in a doubleheader at 11 a.m. Feb. 23.

Ron Smith is Westmont College‘s sports information director.