Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

By Ron Smith
February 25, 2017
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) It took three extra innings in the second game, but #8 Westmont Baseball (9-2, 3-1 GSAC) took both ends of a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader at Russ Carr Field to complete a three-game sweep of the Eagles of Biola (10-7, 0-5). The Warriors took the early game 6-1 and then rallied from a 5-4 deficit in the top of the tenth to win by a score of 6-5.
 
In the first game, starter David Gaydos earned his second win of the season by surrendering just one run in seven innings on seven hits. The junior right-hander struck out three and walked one.
 
Sean Coyne closed out the last two innings, earning his first save of the year. Coyne did not allow a hit, struck out two and walked one.
 
In the top of the first, Biola scored when Jerron Largusa delivered a solo home run to left field with two away. Westmont mirrored that effort in the bottom half of the inning when Michael Stefanic also homered to left with two away.
 
The Warriors did not let the 1-1 tie remain long, however. in the top of the second, Westmont scored two unearned runs without recording a hit by taking advantage of Eagle errors. In the third innings, the Warriors added another unearned run when Michael Pollex singled to drive in Connor McManigal.
 
Westmont tacked on two more runs in the eighth to account for the final margin. Travis Vander Molen doubled to left center to drive in Michel Frigon before Clarke Bader singled to bring home Taylor Bush.
 
In the second game, originally scheduled for seven innings, Westmont scored in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Derek Rodigo led off the innings with a double to center field. Two outs later, with Rodigo on third, Frigon singled to right to drive in Rodigo.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, however, the Eagles scored four times, all of which were charged to Westmont starter Grant Gardner. Gardner pitched four and two-third innings giving up four runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked one.
 
Rodigo took back one of those runs with a solo home run in the bottom half of the fifth, and Luke Coffey delivered a two-run home run to left in the bottom of the six to tie the game at four runs apiece.
 
In the top of the tenth, Biola recaptured the lead with a double down the left field line by Andy Van Antwerp that brought home Daniel Rasmussen, putting the Warriors in jeopardy of losing the game if they did not produce in the bottom half of the inning.
 
With two away in the the tenth, Shane Soria worked the count full before taking ball four to give the Warriors some hope. Frigon then did the same thing to put runners at first and second. That brought up Michael Stefanic who slapped at the first pitch he saw, sending it into right field. Soria came around to score and when the ball slipped between the legs of the Eagle's right fielder, Frigon scored as well to the delight of Warrior players and fans alike.
 
Stephen Larson was awarded the win after pitching the final three and two-third innings.  Larson allowed one run on five hits, struck out four and walked two.
 
Next up for the Warriors is a non-conference match-up against Marymount (1-5) at Russ Carr Field on Tuesday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m.