By Ron Smith
February 10, 2017
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (9-3, 3-3 GSAC) split a home doubleheader Saturday with Vanguard (6-7, 4-2 GSAC) on the second weekend of conference play. Westmont took the first game 5-2 but was shut out 2-0 in the second game.
 
In the early game, Westmont starter Grant Gardner picked up his second win of the season. Gardner allowed just one unearned run and seven hits in seven innings of work. Gardner struck out five and walked two.
 
Westmont's scored in the bottom of the first inning after Luke Coffey led off with a double down the right field line. Coffey reached third on a single to right by Henry Hedeen and later scored on a sacrifice fly to deep right by Isaiah Leach.
 
Westmont tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Catcher Tyler Roper led off with a single to left and was replaced on the base pads by courtesy runner Hayden Euper. Garcia's single to right allowed Euper to take third.
 
Bryce Morison attempted a bunt on a squeeze play. However, Euper was thrown out at the plate on the play while Garcia took second. Both runners advance one base when Stefanic ground out for the second out of the inning.
 
A wild pitch with Coffey up to bat allowed Garcia to score and Morison to take third. With Coffey still batting, another wild pitch plated Morison for the second run of the inning.
 
The Lions' unearned run came in the top of the fifth when Lucas Martinez double down the left field line to drive in Tanner Perry. Perry had previously reached on an error.
 
Vanguard pulled within one in the top of the eighth. With Justin Sanders on the mound for the Warriors and two away, the Lions' Joe Johnson doubled to center field to drive in Michael Fuchs. Lance Simpson was called on for a four out save and racked up the first one by striking out Sam Neufeld to end the inning.
 
In the bottom half of the eighth, Michael Stefanic produced a lead-off single to center field, bringing up Coffey. Coffey drove the first pitch he saw over the center field fence, denting the scoreboard for his third home run of the season.
 
In the top of the ninth, Simpson sat the side down in order to pick up his first save of the year. Simpson has not allowed a run in six and one-third innings of work this season.
 
In the nightcap, Vanguard's Schuyler Hill (2-1) threw a four-hit, seven-inning, complete game shutout. Hill struck out 11 and walked four.
 
Westmont's Toby Dunlap (2-1) also pitched a remarkable game, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings of work. Dunlap struck out five and walked two in the loss.
 
Vanguard scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Tanner Perry led off the inning with a walk and then stole second. A weekly hit ground ball by Shane Elias-Calles was fielded by Dunlap. Dunlap attempted to throw out Perry at third, but the ball went in the dirt and past third baseman Taylor Garcia. Perry later scored on a sacrifice fly by Martinez.
 
Vanguard picked up one more run in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and two away, Weeks managed an infield single that drove in Sam Neufeld.
 
The Warriors are off until next weekend when they travel to Rocklin for a three-game series conference series with William Jessup.