Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
By Bradford Sargent
April 29, 2017
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont (29-20, 14-15 GSAC) won both games of their doubleheader against Menlo College (33-18, 17-13 GSAC) on Saturday.  They won the first game 13 to 4 and took the second game 9 to 6.  The Westmont baseball team entered the doubleheader just hours after finding out that its season would not extend into the conference playoffs.  Yet the players and coaches showed no signs of disappointment.  Westmont's seniors came up big during their last day on Russ Carr Field.
 
Westmont scored five runs in the second inning of the first game.  The scoring run ended with a double by senior Derek Rodigo.  The double was Derek's 23^rd double as a Warrior.  The other big scoring run for Westmont came in the bottom of the sixth.  Matt Matlock led off the inning with a double.  Rodigo singled to drive Matlock in for Westmont's 10^th run.  Perhaps showing a little fatigue, the Oaks committed two errors in the sixth that proved costly.  Menlo would stage a late rally in the eighth inning, but they could not catch Westmont. The Warriors impressed with their bats and their arms.  Westmont pitcher Grant Gardner picked up the win.  The sophomore from Double Oak, Texas struck out 10 batters through seven innings pitched.  And Bailey Reid pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning.   
 
The abbreviated second game had five lead changes.  Fans of both teams were relieved to see Menlo pitcher Brian Ransom recover from a hard line drive that hit his body in the bottom of the second inning.  Ransom toughed it out and pitched into the fourth.
 
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Michael Stefanic doubled to tie the game at two.  Austin McGilvra stepped up to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning with Westmont trailing 6-4.  He showed great concentration at the plate as Menlo Pitcher Kevin George walked in a run.  Next up to bat was Neil Sterling who also got George to throw four balls.  At this point the score was tied 6-6, yet Westmont had all of the momentum.  Westmont would score three more runs in the inning.  Pitcher Lance Simpson entered in the top of the seventh and put Menlo's batters down in order. 
 
An energized crowd cheered proudly after the game was over.  Congratulations to these 11 seniors who have worked hard throughout their student-athlete years and have now reached the finish line!  10 of these 11 seniors played today.  The only senior who remained in the dugout was Daniel Butler.  Butler rested his arm after pitching seven innings yesterday to earn his 29^th career win.  Counting both games, the seniors had a collective 52 at bats on Saturday which they used to produce 19 hits. 
 
Westmont's final game of the season is an away game against Hope International University.  The details of when that game will be played and at what time have yet to be announced.  As soon as this information becomes available we will post it on athletics.westmont.edu