By Bradford Sargent

April 22, 2017 

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) After losing 7-3 in the series opener on Friday night, Westmont (25-19, 11-14 GSAC) picked up the second game of its three-game series against Biola (32-15, 17-10 GSAC) by a score of 12-4.  The Warriors hit for power again and again in a superb offensive performance.  Biola rebounded to win the series 2-1 with a 6-3 victory in the third game. 

David Gaydos earned the win in the first game on Saturday.  The junior from Simi Valley pitched five innings and gave up two runs on three hits before Grant Gardner took the mound.  While Gaydos did surrender a home run and a double, he limited the damage to two runs and prevented Biola's batters from producing a big inning. 

Westmont's batters repeatedly connected for ear-ringing hits.  Derek Rodigo hit a triple in the fifth inning that drove in two runs.  After a Michael Frigon triple, Clarke Bader doubled to give Westmont an 8-2 lead in the sixth.  The hit was Bader's third double of the season.  The Warriors committed a pair of errors but also made some nice defensive plays.  Michael Frigon covered a lot of ground to make a catch in the sixth inning.  And first baseman Travis Vander Molen made a nice catch in foul territory to end the seventh.  It was an impressive win for the Warriors!

With the weekend series tied 1-1, Sean Coyne was given the start for Westmont.  He was replaced by Toby Dunlap in the bottom of the second inning after giving up one run on three hits.  Westmont's offense battled back in the third inning to tie the game at two apiece.  But Biola broke the tie with four hits in the bottom of the third to take a commanding 6-2 lead.  Derek Rodigo drove in a third run for the Warriors in the top of the fifth inning.  But his single would turn out to be Westmont's last hit of the series. 

Westmont is competing for a fifth-place finish in the GSAC regular season in order to make the conference playoffs.  Arizona Christian University sits in sixth place in the conference with a 13-16 GSAC record, however they have no conference games remaining.  The Master's University (26-20, 14-13 GSAC), which currently sits in fifth place in the conference, has three GSAC games remaining, all of them against William Jessup (10-30, 5-21 GSAC).  The Warriors have four GSAC games remaining, all of them against Menlo College (32-15, 16-10 GSAC).  Westmont will play these last four games at Russ Carr Field.  The Warriors are 20-9 at home this season. If the Warriors are still in contention for a playoff spot after this last homestand, then they would finish the disputed game against Hope International.