Westmont Baseball continued its successful 2022 campaign by sweeping San Diego Christian In a doubleheader. Westmont came from behind to take the first game 9-7, then won the second 10-3. Westmont maintained its two-game lead for first place in the GSAC standings over Hope International while gaining two games on Vanguard after the Royals swept the Lions in Costa Mesa.
The Warriors put up one run in the top of the first to open the scoring. After Robbie Haw singled through the right side of the infield, Brady Renck was hit by a pitch. Simon Reid reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Renck retired at second and Haw advance to third. Haw scored on an RBI-single by Rego.
The lead did not last long, however. Hawks’ lead-off hitter Johnny Radomskiy cleared the left field fence to tie the game at one. One out later, Alec Arnone singled to right, then advanced to second when Aaron Hoch singled through the right side. That brought up Ryan Lystlund who doubled down the right-field line, driving in Hoch and Peyton Berroth, the latter of whom was running for Arnone. Westmont starter Bryan Peck, who appeared injured on the play, was replaced on the mound by Alex Blaszyk.
After Justin Rodriguez started off the top of the second and reached on an error, Ryan Desaegher singled up the middle, advancing Rodriguez to second. When Haw was hit by a pitch, Warriors occupied every base. That brought up Renck who picked up an RBI when he was walked, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Hawks.
Arnone was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the third and replaced on the base pad by Cade Cabral. Cabral reached third on a double by Hoch, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Lystlund.
In the top of the fourth, Haw was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, When Renck singled through the right side, Haw advanced to third. He took third when Reid flew out to center. One out later, Rego singled up the middle driving in Haw and making the score 4-3.
Once again, the Hawks’ extended their advantage by one run in bottom half of the inning. Jalani Brown reached on an error, then, with one away, took second when Radomskiy was hit by a pitch. A single by Tre Pankratz through the right side brought Brown home.
In the top of the fifth, Haw delivered an RBI-single to left that drove in Parker O’Neil. O’Neil had reached on a single of his own then advanced to second on a bunt by Desaegher.
The Warriors finally tied the score in the top of the seventh inning. Paul Mezurashi pinch hit for David Martinez and ripped a double down the left field line. When he slid into second, the ball got past the second baseman. Mezurashi picked himself up and took third on the play. A sacrifice fly to right scored Mezurashi and resulted in a 5-5 score.
Sam Kim was called upon to relieve Blaszyk in the bottom of the seventh. Blaszyk’s five and two-thirds inning kept the Warriors in the game. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits. On 84 pitches, he struck out eight and issued just one walk.
After a scoreless bottom of the seventh, the Warriors took control in the top of the eighth. Haw led off and was hit by a pitch for the third time in the game. Renck then walked for the second time. Reid was asked to produce a sacrifice bunt, but instead provided a bunt single, loading the bases with no outs. That brought up Thomas Rudinsky who had gone hitless in four at bats. On his fifth trip to the plate, Rudinsky pounded the first pitch he saw, crushing a grand slam down the left field line to put the Warriors up 9-5. It was their first lead since the first inning.
The Hawks took two back in the bottom of the eighth. The seven, eight and nine hitters loaded the bases on an error, infield single and a walk. Gabe Arteaga came into the game in relief of Kim. Arteaga coaxed a ground out from Radomskiy that scored Berroth and recorded the first out. The second out came on a sacrifice fly to right by Pankratz that scored Brown. Arteaga then struck out Arnone to end the inning.
Kim allowed two runs (none earned) on one hit and two walks in one-plus innings of work. Kim was awarded the win, his first of the season.
After a scoreless top of the ninth, Carlos Moreno was called on to preserve the win for the Warriors. After giving up a single through the right side to Hoch, Moreno persuaded Lystlund to ground to second. Haw threw out Hoch at second while Lystlund reached on a fielder’s choice.
Moreno walked Davin Burroughs on a full count to bring the potential winning run to the plate in the person of pinch hitter Anthony Macchia, However, Moreno struck out the would-be hero. That brought up Brown as the Hawks’ last hope. Like the previous batter, Brown became Moreno’s strikeout victim as the junior right-hander recorded his sixth save of the season.
Arteaga pitched one inning, facing the minimum while striking out one.
The second game proved to be the polar opposite of the first, starting as a pitcher’s duel. Westmont sent Eric Oseguera to the mound who entered the game with the GSAC’s best record (8-0) and ERA 1.16 to face Luke Gentry (9-4, 4.01 ERA). Neither pitcher allowed a hit in the first two innings.
In the top of the third, Ryan Desaegher recorded the game’s first hit with a one-out double down the left field line. With two away, Brady tripled to left center field, driving in Desaegher. Renck then scored on a wild pitch, giving Westmont a 2-0 lead.
Oseguera retired the first eight batters he faced before Billy Strohm doubled down the right field line with two away in the third and reached third on an error. Strohm tallied the Hawk’s first run on a wild pitch.
Rudinsky led off the top of the fourth with his second home run of the day, powering another shot to left field to put the Warriors on top 3-1. The rally continued when Rego singled to right and Rodriguez was hit by a pitch. One out later, and with Luke Tillitt pinch running for Rodriguez, Jack Fletcher was issued a free pass to first, resulting in Warriors stationed at every base.
That brought up Desaegher, who added an RBI to his stats with a sacrifice fly to right to plate Rego and make the score 4-1 in favor of Westmont.
Westmont added single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Rodriguez drove in Jeremiah Canada from third. Then in the sixth, Renck brought home Desaegher from second.
The Warriors added four more runs in the top of the final seventh inning to go up 10-1. Mezurashi hit is second double of the day, this one going to right center and driving in both O’Neil and Canada. Desaegher doubled to left center, driving in Mezurashi before Haw made it three doubles in a row with a shot to left center, driving in Desaegher.
The Hawks would score twice in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little, too late.
With the win, Oseguera improved to 9-0 on the year. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, struck out six and did not issue a walk.
Zach Yates closed out the seventh inning, allowing one run on one hit. He struck out two and also did not surrender a walk.