Westmont Baseball opened the Golden State Athletic Conference season by splitting a doubleheader with #15 Fresno Pacific on Thursday afternoon at Russ Carr Field. The Warriors' Dan Cabuling pitched a complete game shutout as Westmont took the first game of the twin bill by a score of 3-0. Fresno Pacific (6-5) won the second game by a score of 6-5 achieving the final out on a play at the plate.
Cabuling allowed just five hits in his second win of the year. The left-hander struck out two and allowed just one walk.
"I've never had a nine-inning complete game before," said Cabuling. "It felt pretty good. I focused on every single pitch one pitch at a time. I focused on things I can control. I have no control over the offense. I'll take anything they can give me. As long as I keep my team in a position to win, that is the best I can do."
"Dan carried us on his back today," said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "He stayed composed in tight situations and stuck to his plan. He showed today that he can compete and we can get a lengthy outing from him. He gave us a shot to win that first game against one of the best pitchers in the conference."
Fresno Pacific starter Jesse Darrah was charged with the loss. Darrah pitched seven and one-third inning giving up three runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked four.
Senior second baseman Jordan Bottenfield provided the winning run for the Warriors when he stroked a home run over the left field fence to lead off the second inning.
Westmont picked up two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one away, freshman shortstop Brent Fukushima swung at a third strike. However, the ball got away from Sunbird catcher Michael Vaughan, and Fukushima was able to reach first base safely. Center fielder JJ Turbin followed Fukushima with a bunt single, giving the Warriors runners at first and second with one away.
Sunbird coach Oscar Hirschkorn decided to bring in Michael Jimenez to pitch to Tim Leary and Jimenez struck out the power hitter to record the inning's second out. Right fielder Coby Cress followed Leary with a single down the right field line the brought Fukushima home and moved Turbin to third.
After a walk to Bottenfield to load the bases, Jimenez was replaced on the mound by Steven Lozier. Lozier walked Colten Christianson, accounting for the Warriors' final run.
With a three-run cushion, Cabuling took the mound for the final inning.
"Coach gave me the choice in the bottom of the eighth and I said I wanted it," said Cabuling.
After hitting the first batter with a pitch in the top of the ninth, Cabuling coaxed Sunbird third baseman Scott Laird to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. He then got Wes Dorrell to pop up to right field to end the game.
"They are definitely a good hitting team," acknowledged Cabuling, "but it seemed that as long as I executed my pitches and was down in the zone, I was fine."
Geoff Rocha started the second game for the Warriors but did not figure into the decision. Rocha pitched six innings giving up three runs on seven hits. Rocha struck out four and did not allow a walk.
Mitch Crocker was assigned the loss after pitching two innings and allowing one run on four hits. Crocker, who struck out two and walked one, entered the game in the seventh, pitched all of the eighth inning and part of the ninth.
The Warriors jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Catcher Brandon Gildea singled to center field to start off the inning and then was replaced on first by courtesy runner Stephen Motush. Fukushima sacrificed Gildea over to second before Turbin doubled down the right field line to drive in Motush. Turbin scored when Leary singled to right field.
In the top of the fourth inning, Fresno Pacific picked up a single run. Short stop Alec Mehrten led off the inning with a triple down the left field line. One out later, Mehrten scored on a sacrifice fly to right center by Laird.
In the top of the six, Fresno Pacific scored twice to go up 3-2. An infield single by first baseman Wes Dorrell was followed by a single to center by Mehrten, moving Dorrell up one base. Both runners moved up another base when Rocha was called for a balk. Second baseman Karlan Andrews grounded out to short for the first out of the inning but Dorrell scored and Mehrten took third on the play. A single by Laird through the left side brought Mehrten home for the Sunbird's go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Westmont regained the lead with two runs of their own. Leary led off and was hit by a pitch. Cress singled to left moving Leary over to second base. Bottenfield attempted to sacrifice bunt, however, Leary was thrown out at third instead. As a result, the Warriors still had men on first and second with one away.
At that point, starting pitcher Matt Mazzoni was replaced on the mound by Lozier. Lozier threw only one pitch, hitting Christianson to load the bases. Greg Kilgore was then called upon by Hirschkorn to take over duties on the mound for the Sunbirds. Kilgore surrendered a sacrifice fly to Mitch Petrak which saw Cress score and Bottenfield move over to third. Bottenfield then scored on a single to center field by Chris Ramirez.
Jacob Regalado started on the mound for the Warriors in the top of the seventh inning but left four batters later with one out and the bases full of Sunbirds. Crocker took Regalado's place and promptly surrendered an RBI single to Mehrten. Fresno Pacific's second run of the inning scored on a wild pitch.
A single run by the Warriors in the bottom of the seventh, tied the game at five-all. Lead-off hitter Fukushima was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Turbin. One out later, Cress singled down the right field line to drive home Fukushima.
In the top of the ninth, the Sunbirds picked up the winning run when reliever Pete McCarthy hit a batter with the bases loaded.
Westmont nearly evened the score in the bottom of the ninth. With one away Fukushima singled up the middle. After Turbin struck out, Leary was hit by a pitch, advancing Fukushima to second. Cress delivered a single through the right side and Fukushima was waived home forcing a play at the plate. Sunbird left fielder Blaine Taylor scooped up the ball and delivered a strike to Vaughn, the catcher. Vaughn applied the tag as Fukushima attempted to score, giving the Sunbirds the win.
"I'm happy with the way our guys fight," said Ruiz of his team's performance. "They don't give in. That is the kind of baseball team we are and they showed their willingness to compete today. "
Westmont and Fresno Pacific are scheduled to complete their series with a doubleheader in Fresno on Saturday. However, the weatherman is threatening rain on Saturday. Information on the games' status will be available on the Westmont Athletics website.
