Westmont Baseball scored ten runs in the eighth inning of the first game, and came from behind in the final inning of the second to sweep The Master's (9-14, 5-10) in a doubleheader at Russ Carr Field on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors produced 21 hits in the two games while holding the Mustangs to just 12. The dual victories mark the first time in nearly six years that Westmont has swept a conference opponent in a doubleheader. The last time was on March 24, 2001 when Westmont defeated Points Loma Nazarene 6-2 and 7-6.

Westmont (3-17, 2-14) got on the board early in the first game scoring a single run in the first inning and two more in the second. After junior second baseman Anthony Martinez was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first inning, junior pitcher Erik Gaustad knocked a double into left center to advance Martinez to third. Junior Philip Valle was then walked to load the bases with nobody out. Jason Younker ground into a double play, but Martinez scored from third on the play.

The bottom of the second started in the same fashion with left fielder Nate Dreesmann being awarded first base after being hit by a pitch. Senior third baseman Andy Dude laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Dreesmann to second. Center fielder Derek Fugitt, hitting in the number nine spot, singled to right-center to score Dreesmann and then advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Martinez picked up an RBI with another single to right-center and the Warriors found themselves up 3-0 after two innings of play.

However, the Mustangs put together a five-run fifth inning on five hits which would put The Master's in the lead until the bottom of the eighth. That's when Westmont's offense exploded for ten runs.

"I think we had eight hits that inning," said Martinez. "We have all been working hard in practice and spending a lot of time in the cage. You see people making adjustments and being aggressive. That inning it all came together."

Gaustad led off the inning with a single to center and Valle walked to put men on first and second. Younker then singled to right field to score Gaustad. Freshman catcher Luke Montzingo poked a shot through the left side to load the bases. Junior right fielder John Evans picked up an RBI on a walk and the game was now tied at five runs apiece.

A wild pitch moved all three runners up one base and allowed Ryan Haddock, who was pinch running for Younkers to score, giving Westmont a 6-5 lead. Dreesmann grounded out to shortstop to record the first out of the inning, leaving runners at second and third. Jon White was then intentionally walked, reloading the bases.

After a strike out by Fugitt, Martinez came up as the ninth batter in the inning. His single up the middle scored two runs. Gaustad, up for the second time in the inning was walked and once more, the bases were loaded for the Warriors. Next, Valle singled to center field to score White and Martinez. Younker then recorded his second RBI single of the inning, this one through the left side, pushing Gaustad across the plate.

Montzingo added to the hit parade with a single to center which scored Valle and Evans did the same to score Younker before the Mustangs finally recorded the third out.

"That was a breakout inning, it felt like a big relief," said head coach Scott Deck. "Hitting is contagious – a couple of hits and all of a sudden the flood gates open. These guys have been working hard and you love to see them get out of it what they have been putting into it. We needed to learn how to come from behind. It's a big step in the right direction."

Brandon Downs was awarded the win after pitching two and two-thirds innings in which he retired all eight batters that he faced, two on strikeouts. Gaustad started the game and pitched six and one-third innings while giving up five runs on eight hits.

"The last two times out, Erik has battled and kept us in the game," said Deck, "He is a competitor on the mound. Brandon is very good out of the pen. He has a different demeanor out of the pen than when he starts. Whatever he has to do, he does it."

"We are learning to fight and not giving up like we used to," said Gaustad of the comeback. "I think we are looking forward to some good games now."

In the second game, Westmont again took an early lead, this time scoring a single run in the bottom of the second. Once more, the lead-off batter, this time Montzingo, was hit by a pitch. Montzingo was replaced with Haddock as a pinch runner but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice. White, who had hit into the fielder choice, advanced to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a single by Dude.

The Mustang's evened the game at one each on an unearned run in the top of the third inning, even though White, the starting pitcher, had yet to have given up a hit.

The Warriors scored again in the fourth inning to claim a 2-1 advantage. After White led off with an infield single, Evans tried to advance him to second with a sacrifice bunt. But the Mustangs were able to get the lead runner. Dude then doubled for the Warriors, giving Westmont men on second and third with one away. Fugitt hit a choppy grounder down the first base line and was put out at first, but the throw to the plate was too late to get Evans.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Mustang's finally took the lead on an RBI double and an RBI single up the middle. Westmont threatened in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double by Dude, but could not score, leaving the score 3-2 in favor of The Master's going into the seventh and final inning.

White retired the first batter in the top of the inning on a grounder but then walked Peter Goeman. Deck then made a pitching change and brought in Downs for his second appearance of the day. Goeman stole second base and then advanced to third on a pass ball. But Downs coaxed Steve Shaver into striking out, his ninth of nine batters on the day to be retired. Downs was then replaced with Timothy Crabbe who got Caleb Mints to fly out to left to end the inning.

With the Warriors down one run, Gaustad led off the final frame with a single to left field. Valle then laid down a sacrifice but to move Gaustad over to second. Left-hander David Stout, who had replaced Younker at first base, was next up to bat. He took the second pitch he saw and hit a line drive to left field.

The Mustang's left fielder tried to dive forward for the ball. Not only did he miss, but the ball got passed him and Stout landed on third base.

"I had been charting pitches the whole first game and the second game was the same thing," said Stout. "They were throwing fast ball on the first pitch and if they got a strike they would go curve ball on the outside corner. I got a first pitch strike and said (to myself), ‘Okay, it's coming, hit it the other way.' I was pretty excited when I saw it."

With a man on third and no outs, The Master's head coach Monte Brooks called time out to make an unusual defensive change. Brooks brought the centerfielder in as an extra infielder, trying to keep any hit ball from escaping the infield. But Brooks' strategy was never tested. The Mustang's pitcher, Brian Grijalva, who pitched the entire game, threw the ball into the dirt, allowing Stout to score the winning run on a wild pitch.

Crabbe, who made only two pitches, both to the same batter, was awarded the win.

"I felt good," said White when asked about his performance. "I was able to get all my pitches going early, which helps. I was able to conserve pitches because they were hitting a lot of ground balls.

"To come out and play like we are capable of playing is a nice thing to see," continued White. "We've struggled in the past and it's nice to see people succeed for all their hard work."

The Warriors will be back in action on Monday when the will host Principia of Illinois (2-3) at Russ Carr Field at 2:00 p.m.