By Zach DeMarcus
April 3, 2018
 
(SANTA CLARITA, Calif.) Tuesday afternoon's Golden State Athletic Conference game between Westmont and The Master's saw a total of 20 runs scored and 26 hits between the two teams. The Warriors (24-12, 17-10 GSAC) out slugged the Mustangs (21-17, 13-14 GSAC) and came away with an 11-9 victory. Today's game is a make-up game from a rain out back on March 2.
 
Seven of the game's 20 runs were scored in the first inning. Westmont struck first in the top half of the inning. Tyler Roper hit a one-out single. Michael Stefanic followed with an RBI-double down the left field line to score Roper. After a groundout, Austin Muller nudged an RBI-single over the shortstop's head that to plate Stefanic.
 
The Mustangs responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Max Maitland led off with a single off Westmont's starter Toby Dunlap. Ryan Bricker followed with a walk – Ricky Sottile came in to pinch run for Bricker. Preston White executed a push bunt towards first base that left everyone safe and the bases loaded. Maitland scored the Mustang's first run of the game from a wild pitch – all runners advanced 90 feet.
 
Aaron Shackelford hit a fly ball to center field that Westmont's Bryce Morison made a diving catch on – Sottile scored on the sacrifice fly and White advanced to third. Jaiden France then drew a walk and advanced to second on a pass ball. Kameron Quitno then whacked a three-run home run over the right field fence to give The Master's a 5-2 lead through one inning of play.
 
Westmont added two in the top of the second. Morison reached first on catcher's interference to lead off the inning. Todd Yost lined the first pitch he saw past the center fielder to score Morison. Travis Vander Molen followed with a walk. After a strikeout, Roper singled through the right side to load the bases. Stefanic added the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Yost.
 
Sean Coyne came in to pitch for the Warriors in the second. He gave up one run on one hit over two innings of work.
 
The Warriors put up their third straight two-spot in the top of the third. Hedeen hit a one-out single to left field. Morison followed suit with a single to left field. Yost advanced the two runners with a groundout to second base. Vander Molen singled up the middle to plate both Morison and Hedeen and reclaim the lead for Westmont – brining the score to 6-5 in favor of the Warriors through two and a half innings.
 
The Mustangs tied the game in the bottom of the third. Shackelford led off with a single. After a pop up, Quitno and Pearson Good drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Nick Tuttle beat out a potential double play ball and reached on a fielder's choice – allowing Shackelford to score.
 
Bay Buckley came in to throw the fourth inning for the Warriors. He went on to throw three scoreless innings while giving up one hit, walking one, and striking out five.
 
Westmont took the lead again in the fifth. Morison picked up his second hit of the afternoon as he pounded a first-pitch, hung breaking ball over the left field fence for his first long ball of the season. Westmont led 7-6 through five innings
 
The Warriors added another run in the top of the sixth. Roper led off with a single up the middle. Roper advanced to second on a groundout from Stefanic. Luke Coffey hit an RBI-single up the middle to score Roper and bring the score to 8-6 in favor of the Warriors.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Westmont brought their ace, Grant Gardner, into the game. He retired the first batter and then surrendered a single and back-to-back walks to load the bases. The following batter lined out to Stefanic at second – Stefanic then fired to first to double up the Mustang runner for the second and third outs of the inning.
 
In the top of the eighth, Roper again led off with a single and would steal second. Coffey drew a one-out walk. Muller reached on a throwing error by the pitcher to load the bases. Hedeen hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Roper – brining the score to 9-6 in favor of the Warriors through seven and a half innings.
 
Reliever Bailey Reid came on to throw for Westmont in the bottom of the eighth. Reid induced a groundout to start the inning. Tuttle then drew a walk. Josh Robinson hit a double to right field – advancing Tuttle to third. Left-hander Cory Dawson came in to relieve Reid. He gave up an RBI-single up the middle to Maitland – Tuttle scored on the play.
 
Lance Simpson was called on to get the remaining five outs of the game. He induced a pop out for the second out of the inning. White followed with a single up the middle to score Robinson and advance Maitland to third. The Mustangs tied the game at nine as Maitland scored on a two-out wild pitch.
 
The Warriors looked to again reclaim the lead in the top of the ninth. The first two Warrior batters struck out. Taylor Garcia drew a two-out walk to extend the inning. Roper followed with his fifth hit of the afternoon on his single up the middle. Stefanic stepped into the box with two-outs and runners on first and second. He ripped a fastball to the wall in center field to score Garcia and Roper with a two RBI-double – putting Westmont up for good 11-9.
 
Simpson gave up a hit and coaxed the Mustangs into a fly out and two groundouts to end the game and pick up his first win of the season.
 
The win puts Westmont in a tie for second place with Vanguard in the GSAC standings. The Warriors will now prepare to host first place William Jessup this weekend in a huge three-game GSAC series. Friday's single game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 11:00 a.m.