By Ron Smith
February 24, 2018
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (12-7. 6-6 GSAC) split a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Oaks of Menlo (8-12, 4-8). The Oaks claimed the first game 7-5 while the Warriors won the second 6-4. As a result, Westmont claimed the series two games to one.
 
In the first game, the Oaks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after designated hitter John Velasco led off with a double down the left field line. Velasco reached third on a ground out by third baseman Joe Gillette and then scored on a single to right field by Nick Adgar.
 
The Oaks added a second run in the second inning on a solo home run to left field by Peter Saldana. Two Menlo baserunners were picked off at first during the inning by starter Justin Sanders.
 
Westmont produced three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead. First baseman Luke Coffey reached with a lead-off infield single before left fielder Henry Hedeen doubled down the right field line. Coffey advanced to third on the play. Two outs later, center fielder William Hoyer-Pingle singled to center, driving in both Coffey and Hedeen.
 
Westmont catcher Tyler Roper extended the inning when he reached on an error that allowed Hoyer-Pingle to take third. Hayden Euper replaced Roper at first as a courtesy runner before designated hitter Taylor Garcia laced a single into center field. Hoyer-Pingle scored and Garcia took second on an unsuccessful attempt to throw out Euper at third. However, the Warriors were unable to bring Hoyer-Pingle and Garcia home.
 
Menlo was held scoreless in the top of the third. For the second time in as many innings, the frame came to an end with a pick off at first, the third of the game by Sanders.
 
In the bottom of the third, Westmont added two more runs. Second baseman Michael Stefanic led off with a single to right and advanced to third on a double to center field by Coffey. A single by Hedeen drove in Stefanic and moved Coffey to third base. Right fielder Austin Muller picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly to right that drove in Stefanic.
 
Menlo recorded two runs in the top of the fifth to pull within one. With two out, Saldana reached on an error. Three straight singles by Velasco, center fielder Justin Wallis and Gillette produced the two runs with an RBI each for Wallis and Gillette.
 
In the top of the seventh, Menlo tied the game with an RBI single by left fielder Shane Jones that drove in Wallis from second. Wallis previously reached on an error and advanced to second when right fielder Nick Adgar walked.
 
Menlo posted the winning and insurance run in the top of the ninth. Velasco led off with a single to left and one out later reached second when Gillette walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch before Adgar drove in Velasco on a line drive single into left.  Gillette, who took third on Adgar's single, scored on an attempted pick-off play that went awry.
 
Menlo starter Justin Bruce (4-2) earned the complete-game win for Menlo. Bruce allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits. He struck out five and walked one. Andrew Sim (1-2), who pitched the eighth and ninth innings for the Warriors was charged with the loss. Sanders pitched five innings allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits. Sanders struck out one and did not surrender a walk.
 
"It was the tale of two teams for us," said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "We were one team early in that game and another team in in the later part of that game. We lost 7-5 and gave up four unearned runs. We didn't take care of the baseball on defense and forced our starter to throw more and more pitches. We didn't play winning baseball. We had an opportunity win that game and sweep the series. At the end of the day, though, the goal is to win the series and we did that.
 
In the second game, Menlo put up three runs in the first inning. Velasco sent the first pitch of the game down the left field line and over the fence. Wallis followed with a single and advanced to second and then third on wild pitches. Gillette hit a ground ball to third that resulted in Wallis caught between third and home and tagged out by Westmont catcher Kyle Soria. Gillette reached first on the fielder's choice and took second during the run down.
 
A double by Adgar to center field scored Gillette for the second out of the game and resulted in starter Toby Dunlap being replaced on the mound by David Gaydos.
 
"I can't say enough about Toby Dunlap," said Ruiz, "and what that guy has given physically of himself to this team. He has sacrificed a lot. He has been pitching through a lot of ailments. I want to express my gratitude for his commitment to this team and his continued wiliness to sell out for the good of the group and do whatever he can to give us a chance to win. It just didn't go his way today."
 
Bruce greeted Gaydos (2-2) with a RBI-single for the final run of the inning. However, Gaydos would go on to pitch a solid four and two-third innings allowing one run on six hits. He struck out three and walked two and was awarded the win.
 
"I have to pick up David Gaydos," said Ruz. "It is not easy to get moved out of the rotation. For this to happen and for him to be ready to step in and to step in the way that he did - I am really proud of his ability to respond. It shows me that his heart is in the right place, that he is here for this team and not for himself, and that he is a true leader.  Our team really needed him today."
 
Two runs would cross the plate in the bottom half of the second to pull the Warriors to within one (3-2). Hoyer-Pingle and designated hitter Zack Mendez received back-to-back walks to start off the inning. Stefanic doubled to right to drive in Hoyer-Pingle and move Mendez to third. Mendez scored on a sacrifice fly by Coffey to right field.
 
Menlo took a 4-2 lead in the top of the second inning. Adgar drove a sacrifice fly to left field to score Langley. Langley had led off the inning with a double down the left field line and took third when Velasco singled to left.
 
The bottom of the second saw Westmont push four runs across the plate. Shortstop Todd Yost and first baseman Travis Vander Molen were walked to start off the inning. Yost was picked off at second base but Vander Molen took his place on second base by virtue of a wild pitch.
 
Soria was walked and Euper came in as a courtesy runner at first before a wild pitch moved Vander Molen and Euper to third and second respectively. Hoyer-Pingle was walked, bringing up Stefanic who was also walk to force in Vander Molen and leave the bases loaded with Warriors. Coffey unloaded the bases with a double into the right field corner, putting the Warriors up 6-4, which would prove to be the final score.
 
"I thought we were patient at the plate and were taking what they were giving us," said Ruiz of his team in the second game. "We didn't have a whole lot of hits, but we put guys on base and were patience. Then, Luke had a huge hit when we needed it."
 
Bailey Reid was called upon to pitch the sixth inning for the Warriors and did not allow a hit, Lance Simpson earned his third save of the year by keeping the Oaks hitless in the seventh.
 
"The back end of bullpen was really good," noted Ruiz. "He showed that he is ready to pitch in our conference in the back of the bullpen. I'm excited for him as a sophomore to do what he did today."
 
Next week, the Warriors will host Hope International on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in a non-conference match-up. Then on Friday and Saturday, Westmont will travel to Santa Clarita for a three-game series with The Master's. With daylight lasting longer, first pitch for Friday's game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 11:00 a.m.