Junior designated hitter Cody Chapman went four for five from the plate, notched three RBIs and scored a run, but Westmont Baseball (5-32) came up on the wrong end of a 15-9 score at UC Santa Barbara (16-18) on Tuesday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Starter Kellen Skersies was assigned the loss after giving up nine runs on eleven hits in two and one-third innings of work. John Sakoda closed out the last three innings allowing no runs on just one hit. Sakoda struck out one without allowing a walk. Brian Tracy, son of Pittsburgh Pirates' manager Jim Tracy, was awarded the win. Tracy gave up six runs, none of which were earned, on seven hits.
In the top of the first inning, the Warriors took advantage of a two-out error which allowed junior shortstop Philip Valle to reach first base. Junior third baseman Eric Gaustad singled to left field to advance Valle to second base before Chapman knocked an RBI single into left, allowing Valle to score.
The Gauchos put up three runs in the bottom of the first, but Westmont sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs in the top of the third inning to go up 6-3. Freshman centerfielder Timothy Crabbe reached first on an error to lead off the inning and then advanced to second on an infield single by Valle. Gaustad reached on a fielder's choice which retired Valle at second and moved Crabbe over to third. Chapman recorded his second RBI single of the day, pushing Crabbe across the plate and moving Gaustad to second base.
After freshman catcher Luke Montzingo recorded the second out of the inning on a swing at strike three, freshman first baseman Jason Younker singled to center to score Gaustad and advance Chapman to second base. The Warriors elected to execute a double steal and got more for their money when an errant throw by UCSB catcher Matt Anderson allowed Chapman to score the Warriors' third run of the inning.
Junior right fielder John Evans was the beneficiary of a base on balls, giving the Warriors men on first and second with two away. Sophomore left fielder David Stout took advantage of the situation by connecting for a two-RBI double to right center to score the final Warrior runs of the inning.
UCSB did not allow Westmont to enjoy their lead for long as the Gauchos scored six runs in the bottom half of the third and added to more in the fifth inning to go ahead 11-6. However, the Warriors scored three more runs in the sixth to pull within two.
Junior shortstop Anthony Martinez led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder. Crabbe then connected for a single to right center which moved Martinez to third base. A single by Valle scored Martinez while moving Crabbe to second. Gaustad then connected for his second single of the day to load the bases for the Warriors with nobody out. Chapman picked up his third RBI of the day on his fourth single in a row, leaving the bases loaded with Warriors.
Down 11-8, the Warriors appeared poised to recapture the lead. But Martinez proved to be the last Warrior to reach base safely. One more run scored when Younker hit into a double play, the first of eleven Warriors in a row to be retired by three different Gaucho pitchers. UCSB added four runs in the bottom of the sixth to account for the final score.
Westmont will return to GSAC action on Wednesday with a road game at Biola (22-18, 14-14) and then the same two teams will play on Thursday at Westmont's Russ Carr Field. Both games will begin at 3:00 p.m. On Saturday, Westmont, which is 3-25 in conference play, will host the Lancers of California Baptist (27-15, 16-12) in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
