Scoring early and often, Westmont Baseball (36-17) has advanced to Championship Saturday with a 17-7 pounding of Vanguard (32-21) at the GSAC Baseball Tournament in El Cajon. The Warriors scored in each of the first five innings, taking a 15-2 lead.
Tomorrow, the Warriors will take on San Diego Christian in the double-elimination tournament beginning at noon. If the Warriors prevail, they will need to defeat San Diego Christian in a second game tomorrow to claim the tournament championship. Since the Hawks have not yet lost, they need win just one game tomorrow.
In Friday's victory, Will Barring cleared the yard in each of his first two at-bats and produced a two-RBI double in his third at-bat to drive in four runs and score three times. Brandon Gildea was four for four at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Starting pitcher Alex Bush (4-3) earned the win and helped the Warrior cause offensively by going thee of five at the plate, driving in four runs and scoring three times. Bush pitched six and two-third innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Devin Matson pitched the final two and one-third innings, holding the Lions scoreless while giving up four hits.
Westmont picked up its first run in the top of the first when David Gabel hit a ground ball to second the drove in Joey Gonzales.
The Warriors added four more in the top of the second on a solo home run by Barring, an RBI-double by Gonzales that scored Rudy Leon, and a two-RBI single by Gildea that brought home Gonzales and Steven Pollex. Westmont picked up two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-run blast by Barring with Bush at second.
A six-run fourth inning gave Westmont a 13-0 lead. David Gabel's RBI-double that drove in Gonzales was followed by a two-RBI double by Bush that scored Gabel and Gildea. After Brent Fukushima walked, Barring doubled to drive in Bush and move Fukushima to third. Stroh then singled to drive in both Fukushima and Barring.
After giving up two runs in the bottom of the fourth, Bush got them both back with a two-run home run, making the score 15-2.
The Lions scored five times in the bottom of the seventh inning before the Warriors add two more runs in the top of the eighth. Pollex and Leon both scored on a single by Graylin Derke.
