By Ron Smith
May 1, 2018
 
(COSTA MESA, Calif.) Second-seeded Westmont Baseball (34-15) fell 5-1 to top-seeded William Jessup in the fifth game of the Golden State Athletic Conference Baseball Championships. The teams entered the game as the only remaining undefeated teams in the double-elimination tournament.
 
Westmont, will next play tomorrow morning in game seven, taking on the winner of game six between Hope International (26-25) and The Master's (28-24).
 
"I thought it was a competitive game," said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "William Jessup played a solid game with limited mistakes. Their starter (Ashkhon Kuhaulua) and their reliever (Tyler Fujimoto) did a good job). We came ready to compete but didn't get the momentum to swing our way. We just didn't have any opportunity to capitalize on their mistakes."
 
Kuhaulua (5-2) picked up the win, pitching seven innings and giving up one run on six hits. Kuhaulua struck out five and walked three. Fujimoto pitched two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.
 
Westmont's David Gaydos (7-4) was charged with the loss. Gaydos pitched seven and one-third innings allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked two.
 
"Gaydos pitched well and kept us in that game," said Ruiz of his senior starter.
 
Jessup got on the board first with a three-run top of the third. After retiring the first two batters on infield ground balls, Gaydos gave up three singles in a row to Jessup's Will Law, Steve Pastora and Austen Swift. Swift's single down the left field line drove in Law for the first score of the game.
 
After Cal Koga walked to load the bases, Joe Starick hit a towering fly ball that fell on the left field foul line for a two-RBI double.
 
"Baseball is a game of inches," said Ruiz. "Two inches left and that is just a foul ball."
 
Jessup added another run in the top of the eighth inning. After a lead-off double in the left-centerfield gap by Pastora, Swift hit a ground ball to third that Luke Coffey fielded near the bag and fired to first to retire Swift. First baseman Travis Vander Molen returned fire back to Coffey at third, but Pastora beat the throw.
 
Jessup's Cal Koga smashed a chopper back to the mound that went off Gaydos glove. Koga reached first safely, but Pastora was unable to score.
 
Gaydos gave way to Cory Dawson on the mound and Dawson inherited runners on the corners with one away. Joey Torres took over as a pinch runner for Pastora at third and Dakota Spillers came in as the new designated hitter. Jessup then executed a squeeze bunt on the play that allowed Torres to score.
 
Westmont's lone run came in the bottom of the eighth. Taylor Garcia hit a tapper past the mound that was fielded by Jessup first baseman Noah Shackles. Garcia, however, dashed in front of Kuhaulua and dove safely to first base before the pitcher could apply the tag. Kuhaulua then landed on top of Garcia, which resulted in Garcia a little battered and bleeding."
 
"That was a gritty play by Garcia," said Ruiz, "who ended up with his face a little scratched up."
 
The play resulted in Kuhaulua exiting the game in favor of Fujimoto. Fujimoto struck out Tyler Roper for the first out of the inning, but during the at bat, Garcia advanced to second on a wild pitch. During Michael Stefanic's at bat, Garcia took third on a passed ball. Stefanic then singled to right down the right field line drive home Garcia.
 
The top of the ninth saw Jessup scored its final run. A single to right center by Kawaiola Takemura was followed by a double to right center by Josh Duitsman, giving Jessup runners at second and third with no outs.
 
A wild pitch allowed Takemura to score and Duitsman to reach third. Will Law then walked to put runners on the corners. Bailey Reid was called upon to replace Dawson. Bailey came in and struck out Pastora and then Swift for the first two outs. Then, Koga drove the eighth pitch he saw into the left-centerfield gap. However, centerfielder Bryce Morrision, running toward left, laid out for a spectacular catch to end the inning.
 
'That was an incredible play by Bryce," said Ruiz, "but he's done it so many times that I've come to expect it."
 
Unfortunately, the Warriors were unable to produce a baserunner in the bottom half of the ninth.
 
In order to claim the GSAC Tournament Championship, Westmont will need to win tomorrow's game with the winner between Hope International and The Master's and then defeat William Jessup twice. The first of the potential Westmont-Jessup games is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. The second game, if needed, is scheduled for Thursday at noon.