Box Score
By
Ron Smith
Senior pitcher
Sam Sheehan broke a 28-year old record as #7 Westmont Baseball (36-7) posted a 9-6 victory over non-conference opponent Marymount (15-23-1) on Tuesday afternoon at Russ Carr Field. The Warriors tallied three runs in the seventh and Sheehan pitched the ninth to secure the win.
Marymount scored first, courtesy of a couple of hits in the opening frame. With one away, Eric Fields singled to right. That brought up Dylan Hatch who drove an RBI-double to right center.
The Warriors more than made up the difference in the bottom half of the first, posting five runs. Marymount starting pitcher Dylan McDonnell helped the Warriors out by walking lead-off batter Matt Matlock and hitting Michael Stefanic with a pitch. A wild pitched moved both batters up 90 feet for Alex Bush.
Bush reached first on an error by the Mariners' third baseman. Matlock scored on the play, while Stefanic remained at second. Jarrett Costa stepped to the plate and doubled on a ball that flew off the batting cage in right field. Stefanic scored on the play while Bush advanced to third.
Graylin Derke followed Costa in the batter's box and delivered a two-RBI single to right center to give Westmont a 4-0 lead. Derke advanced to third on a single to right center by Alika McGuire, giving the Warriors runners on the corners with no outs. Michael Valentine hit the ball back to the pitcher, resulting in a double play on which Derke scored from third.
In the top of the third, The Mariners picked up three runs off of Westmont starter Grant Gardner. Anthony Collins led off with a single to right and then stole second. Collins scored when Fields doubled down the left field line. One out later, Marvin Flores singled to left field, moving Fields to third. With Brayden serving as a courtesy runner for Flores, Randy Garcia was walked to load the bases.
Bay Buckley was then summoned from the bull pen to take over duties on the mound. A sacrifice fly by Cole Henderson resulted in Armstrong scoring from third and the second out of the inning. Tyler Armstrong then grounded the ball back to Buckley to prevent further damage in the inning.
Westmont made it a 6-4 game in the bottom of the fourth. Valentine drilled a lead-off double down the left field line and, one out later, scored on a line drive single by Austin McGilvra down the right field line.
Two Mariner runs in the top of the seven tied the game at six. Lead-off batter Fields reached second on an error before Hatch was walked by Brendon Shoemake, giving Marymount runners on first and second. Flores flied out to center field and Fields reached third on the play.
A squeeze play by Marymount resulted in another Warrior error that saw Kevin Lopez reach first, Hatch take second and Fields score. Terrence Trueblood then singled up the middle to bring home Hatch.
With two on and one away, the Mariners were threatening to take the lead. Westmont's Stephen Larson came in to pitch for the Warriors and retired the next two batters without advancing the runners. Larson (2-0), who was credited with the win, also pitched a scoreless eighth, but not before Westmont tallied three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
With two outs, Valentine came to the plate with Graylin Derke at first base, the result of a previous walk. Valentin doubled to right field, sending Derke home. The Warriors' third baseman slid under the tag of Flores, the Mariner's catcher, while Valentin claimed third on the throw.
Luke Coffey was given an opportunity to pick up an insurance run for the Warriors when he was called upon to pinch hit. Instead, Coffey picked up two more runs with a blast that cleared the road beyond the left field fence.
With the Warriors up by three (9-6), Westmont called upon Sheehan to close out the game. The senior pitcher faced four batters without allowing a hit. In the processes, Sheehan established a new Warrior single season record with his 11th save of the year. The previous record of 10 was established by Tony Tubbs during the 1988 season.
Next up for the Warriors is a three-game Golden State Athletic Conference series against Biola on Friday and Saturday at Russ Carr Field. Game time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday.
