Box Score
By
Ron Smith
Westmont Men's Baseball, ranked at number six in the NAIA, recorded its 20th win of the season with an 11-6 victory over the Mariners of Marymount (9-11-1), which is in its first season of collegiate baseball. Westmont improved its record to 20-4.
Lance Simpson (1-0) picked up the win after pitching three and one-third innings in relief. The sophomore right-hander did not allow a run and gave up just two hits. Alex Bush pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit.
The Warriors picked up their first run in the opening inning. Michael Stefanic walked with one away and then advanced all the way home on three wild pitches.
In the second inning, Turner Conrad led off with a single to left and scored on a triple to left center by Michael Valentin. A sacrifice fly to center field by Luke Coffey brought home Valentin. Shane Soria delivered a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a single to right by Robert Mendez. A single by Matt Matlock scored Soria from third.
After Marymount took two runs back in the top of the fourth, Westmont used the bottom half of the same inning to double its run total to eight. With one away, Mendez singled to center field and was replace by courtesy runner Alika McGuire.
Matlock moved McGuire to second with a single to right. Stefanic then loaded the bases with another single to right. A two-RBI single by Bush through the right side allowed Matlock and McGuire to score and left Stefanic at third and Bush at second. One out later, Conrad drove in both Stefanic and Bush with a single to center field.
Marymount responded in the top of the fifth inning with four runs, making it an 8-6 game. However, that would prove to be the end of the Mariners' scoring. The Warriors, on the other hand, were not finished offensively.
In the seventh, Valentin produced his second triple of the game – this one to right field – and then scored on a single up the middle by Andrew Devain.
A lead-off walk to Matlock in the eighth inning led to two more runs. Matlock took second on a single to right by Stefanic. Two outs later, Conrad reached on an error that moved Stefanic to third and scored Matlock. Valentine then delivered his fourth hit of the game – a single to right center – to score Stefanic.
Westmont will return to Golden State Athletic Conference play this weekend when they host Arizona Christian at Russ Carr Field. Friday's game is scheduled to begin at three o'clock.
