Westmont traded wins with NAIA No. 12 Hope International on Friday in the first two games of a pivotal four game series. The Royals took game one 9-5 and the Warriors bounced back and took the second game 4-3.
In the Golden State Athletic Conference standings the Royals are currently half a game back of first place No. 6 Vanguard, with Westmont (23-16, 16-10 GSAC) two back of the Royals (23-11, 18-8).
“This time of the year it’s postseason baseball,” said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. “You have to fight to give less away than they do and try to play a perfect baseball game which is hard to do but at this point in the season we have to demand the best of ourselves.”
In the first game, Hope scored four runs in the sixth to break a 4-4 tie.
In the nightcap, Alext Stufft broke a 2-2 tied in the fifth with a RBI single and Simon Reid followed with a run-scoring hit.
Hope threatened in the seventh, cutting the deficit to 4-3 with the tying run at third. Reliever Carlos Moreno got the second out of the inning and Robbie Haw came in to get the final out to preserve the victory.
Westmont and Hope International play a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m.