Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

By Ron Smith
February 4, 2017
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif) Westmont Baseball, the eighth ranked team in the NAIA, could not have asked for a better start to the season on Saturday. The Warriors swept top-ranked Lewis-Clark State (0-2) in a doubleheader at Russ Carr field, winning the first game 4-3 in 11 innings and taking the second 6-4 in the scheduled nine.
 
Lewis-Clark State, also nicknamed the Warriors, is the two-time defending NAIA National Champion.
 
Westmont senior Daniel Butler started on the mound for the Warriors and pitched six innings, allowing two runs on solo home runs and four hits. The right-hander struck out six and did not allow a walk.
 
Matt Hartman pitched three innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits. Hartman struck out six and issued one walk.
 
Toby Dunlap picked up the win, pitching the final two innings. Dunlap did not allow a run or a hit, struck out two and walked two.
 
Lewis-Clark State reliever Anthony Balderas suffered the loss after allowing one run on one hit, walking three and striking out one in one and two-third innings of work.
 
Lewis-Clark State got on the board first with a solo home run to right center field by Raymond Pedrina.
 
Westmont's Brody Weiss, answered back in the bottom half of the same inning with a two-out home run to right field, tying the game at 1.
 
Derek Rodigo gave Westmont its first lead of the game in the bottom half of the fourth after earning a lead-off walk. One out later, Rodigo advanced to second on a wild pitch. LC State's catcher Cooper Goldby tried to throw Rodigo out at second, but his throw was deflected into center field. Rodigo dashed for third as Padrina, LC State's center fielder, retrieved the ball and attempted to throw Rodigo out at third. However, Padrina's throw hit the newly-installed sun shade in the Warrior dugout, resulting in Rodigo being awarded home.
 
LC State left fielder Logan Griffin tied the game in the top-half of the sixth inning with a lead-off home run that sailed between the batter's eye and the scoreboard. With one away in the bottom of the sixth, Rodigo recaptured a lead for the Warriors with a solo blast over the left field fence.
 
The Warrior retained a 3-2 advantage until the top of the ninth when LC State designated hitter Tyler McDowell belted a lead-off home run to right.
 
Two extra innings would be needed to determine the victor. In the bottom of the 11th, Rodigo doubled to deep left center with one away. With Taylor Bush pinch running for Rodigo, Michael Pollex was intentionally walked, giving the Warriors runners at first and second with one away.
 
A ground ball by Weiss retired Pollex at second, but LC State could not turn the double play that would have ended the inning.
 
Another intentional walk, this time to Luke Coffey, loaded the bases and brought up pinch hitter Shane Soria. Soria worked the count full before taking ball four for the walk-off walk.
 
Soria's teammates emptied the dugout and chased him down in shallow right field to celebrate their first win of the season.
 
Westmont starter David Gaydos picked up the win in game two. Gaydos pitched five and one-third innings allowing two runs on five hits. Gaydos struck out four and walked two.
 
Sean Coyne pitched two on two-third innings in relief, allowing two runs on two hits. Coyne struck out three and walked two.
 
Westmont closer Stephen Larson earned his first save of the season, after pitching a scoreless ninth. Larson gave up one hit, struck out one and walked two.
 
LC State starter Gage Burland was charged with the loss after surrendering six runs (two earned) in three and one-third innings of work. Burland struck out four and walked one.
 
Westmont scored its first two runs in the bottom of the third after Michael Frigon beat out a lead-off infield hit. Conner McManigal came up next and sent a fly ball to center field which was mishandled by Pedrina. The result was runners at first and second with no outs.
 
With Soria batting, a pick-off attempt at second went awry, resulting in both runners advancing one base. Soria was still at the plate when a wild pitch allowed Frigon to score and McManigal to advance to third. Soria was then robbed of a chance at an RBI when a passed ball brought McManigal home.
 
The fourth inning proved twice as fruitful as the third for Westmont. A lead-off double to left center by Travis Vander Molen was followed by another error by LC State. The team from Lewiston, Idaho committed seven errors on the day, while the Montecito Warriors were error free.
 
On this occasion, Weiss took a full swing but the ball traveled softly halfway to the pitcher's mound. Burland fielded the ball and threw on target to first baseman Brock Ephan. However, Ephan dropped the ball, allowing Weiss to reach first safely while Vander Molen remained at second.
 
A single to left by Coffey loaded the bases for Westmont before a wild pitch allowed Vander Molen to score and Weiss and Coffey to advance one base each.
 
One out later, Michael Frigon singled down the left field line to score both Weiss and Coffey. Frigon would later score when Lewis-Clark State was unable to turn a double play on a ground ball by Soria.
 
Lewis-Clark State bats awoke in the top of the six with back-to-back solo home runs by pinch hitter Evan Douglas and Seaver Whalen. LC State would score twice more in the eighth, beginning with another lead-off home run by Douglas who stayed in the game to play third base. The other eighth-inning run came as a result of an RBI single by Gunnar Buhner that drove in Whalen.
 
Westmont will continue the 2017 campaign on Wednesday when they host Providence Christian on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.