By taking both games of a doubleheader in Lancaster on Saturday, Westmont Baseball (30-14) completed a four-game sweep against Antelope Valley (23-23) winning 12-2 in the first game and 11-3 in the second game. With the victories, Westmont has achieved a 30-win season for the first time in 25 years.
Junior Tyler Karp made his first start of the season and picked up his second win in a Warrior uniform. Karp pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked two. Taylor Martin and Michael Rishwain pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings respectively, each allowing one hit.
After giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Warriors scored two in the top of the second to tie the game. A bases loaded single to right field by Will Barring scored David Gabel for the first run. Alex Bush scored on a ground ball to record the second run.
In the third inning, Joey Gonzales scored from second when Gabel doubled to right field, giving the Warriors the lead. In the fifth inning, it was Gonzales who doubled, driving in Chito Elias from second base to make it a 4-2 game.
In the sixth inning, Westmont tallied four runs by way of a two out rally. After Barring reached on a walk, Matt Stumme single to left. Elias then reached on an error to load the bases. Derek Rodigo drove in Barring and Stumme with a single to right before Gonzales produced his second double of the game and brought Elias and Rodigo across the plate.
The Warriors added another run in the eighth inning, when Elias and Steven Pollex hit back to back doubles.
For good measure, Westmont tacked on three more runs in the top of the ninth. Ryan Beveridge delivered a pinch hit single to lead off the inning, then scored on Andrew Devian's pinch hit triple to left. Frigon then doubled to left field to bring Devain home. Frigon would later score from third on a Pioneer fielding error.
The seven-inning second game saw sophomore Zach DeMarcus make his first start as a Warrior and pick-up his first win of the year. DeMarcus pitched four innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out one and walked one. Sam Sheehan, Stephan Larson and Shane Turner each pitched one scoreless inning in that order. Sheehan and Larson allowed just one hit. Turner retired all three batters he faced.
After Antelope Valley scored a single run in the bottom of the second inning, Westmont responded with three runs in the top of the third. Frigon reached on an error to lead off the inning, then stole second. One out later, Rudy Leon drove in Frigon with a single to right field.
When Brandon Gildea singled to center, Leon advanced to third. Gildea stole second before Gable's ground ball to second brought in Leon and moved Gildea to third. Gildea scored on a single to center by Rodigo.
Barring's lead-off double in the top of the fourth led to two more Warrior runs. When Barring attempted to steal third, the ball was overthrown and Barring was able to score. Later in the inning, a sacrifice fly by Leon would score Frigon from third base.
The Pioneers scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull within two runs. However, Westmont's five-run fifth inning put the Warriors firmly in control. Westmont's first run came on a squeeze play with Fukushima bunting for a base hit and Gabel scoring from third.
Mathias picked up an RBI when he walked with the bases loaded. Frigon then doubled to left field, scoring Fukushima and Barring. The final run of the fifth inning came when Pollex singled to right and drove in Mathias.
The Warriors would add one more run in the sixth inning when Barring scored on an error.
Westmont will return to Golden State Athletic Conference play next week when they travel to Phoenix for a three-game series with Arizona Christian (13-30, 5-28 GSAC). With six games remaining in the regular season, the Warriors are currently in fifth place in the GSAC with a conference record of 17-13. #18 Vanguard and #14 Concordia are tied for third place, one game ahead of the Warriors.
