Box Score

By Ron Smith
April 6, 2017
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) It took 11 innings to reach a conclusion at Russ Carr Field on Thursday afternoon, but in the end, #9 Menlo (27-9, 13-4 GSAC) posted a 3-2 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over Westmont (22-13, 8-9).
 
The game was originally scheduled to be played in Atherton on February 18, but was rained out. Though rescheduled to be played at Westmont, Menlo retained the designation as the home team and batted in the bottom half of each inning.
 
Menlo recorded single runs in the second and fifth innings to take a 2-0 lead. A lead-off double by Nate Quejado in the bottom of the second led to the game's first run. Dean Aliamus produced an infield single that moved Quejado to third. One out later, Reed Kienle singled to left to score Quejado.
 
The Oaks' run in the fifth inning was a result of a solo home run by Kienle over the left field fence.
 
The Warriors tied the game in the top of the seventh. After Michael Stefanic led off the inning with a single up the middle, Derek Rodigo doubled down the right field line, advancing Stefanic to third.
 
Michael Pollex came up next and shot a ground ball to the first baseman's right. The ball got past the Aliamus but was fielded by the second baseman Dalton Maxwell who tossed it to the pitcher covering the bag. Pollex, hustling down the line, was called safe at first as Stefanic scored and Rodigo advanced to third.
 
An attempted squeeze play worked out to the Warriors' advantage when Luke Coffey bunted to the right of the mound for a single, brining home Rodigo. Unfortunately, the Warriors were unable to plate any more runs in the inning.
 
Westmont escaped in the bottom of the ninth when the Oaks loaded the bases with no outs. Westmont relief pitcher Toby Dunlap coaxed Joe Gillette into a ground ball to third that Coffey fielded and threw to catcher Clarke Bader for the force out at home. Jordan Getzelman then stepped to the plate and produced the exact same result for the second out of the inning. That brought up Julian Jarrard whom Dunlap struck out swinging to end the inning.
 
Two innings later, however, the Oaks would push the winning run across the plate. With men on first and second and one away, Jarrard pulled a ball down the left field line, resulting in the game-ending RBI.
 
Tomorrow, Westmont will begin a three-game series with the Warriors of William Jessup. Because rain is in the forecast, adjustments have been made to the game schedule in an effort to get in all three games. On Friday, the teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. Then on Saturday, the series will conclude with a single game at noon.