Box Score
By
Ron Smith
Daniel Butler picked up his fourth win of the season on Friday afternoon when #16 Westmont (12-2, 3-1) defeated Golden State Athletic Conference opponent Biola (5-12, 1-3) by a score of 6-3. Butler pitched eight innings, giving up three unearned runs on four hits. The right-hander struck out four and walked one.
A pitcher's duel for seven innings, the game remained scoreless until Westmont erupted for six runs in the top of the eighth and Biola scored three runs in the bottom half of the same frame. Biola starter Eric Diomartich (1-3), who was eventually charged with the loss, permitted just one hit in the first seven innings without allowing a runner past second base.
The Warriors' eighth started with a pair of walks to Luke Coffey and Turner Conrad, resulting in Diomartich being lifted from the game in favor of Daniel Jang. Shane Soria, pinch hitting for Austin McGilvra, hit a ground ball past a charging Biola third baseman Andres Rodriquez. The Eagles' shortstop Alec de Watteville made an impressive backhanded catch and tagged Coffey who was streaking for third. However, de Watteville's attempt to throw Soria out at first for a double play went amiss, allowing Conrad to reach third and Soria to take second.
Michael Frigon then singled up the middle to drive in Conrad as the first run of the game while advancing Soria to third. A ground ball back to the mound by Alika McGuire resulted in Soria being tagged out and Frigon reaching second.
Frigon scored when Michael Stefanic doubled down the right field line, giving Westmont runners at second and third with two in and two out. Jarrett Costa then doubled down the left field line to bring home both McGuire and Stefanic and give Westmont a 4-0 lead.
Derek Rodigo then doubled to right field to score Michael Valentin, Jr. who was running in place of Costa. A single by Graylin Derke put runners on the corners before Coffey came up to bat for the second time in the inning and singled through the right side to drive in Rodigo.
Biola cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the eighth when JD Meyer delivered a three-RBI double to center field. However, that was as close as the Eagles would get.
Sam Sheehan pitched the ninth inning for the Warriors retiring the first two batters before surrendering a walk to Rodriguez. Sheehan earned the save, however, when he coaxed Aaron Chavez to hit a ground ball to McGilvra at short for an unassisted putout at second.
The same two teams will meet up again tomorrow in La Mirada for a doubleheader. First pitch is at 11:00 a.m.
