By Ron Smith
February 22, 2019
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) The Golden State Athletic Conference opening weekend included a match-up at Russ Carr Field between the only two ranked teams in the GSAC. #Thirteenth ranked William Jessup (7-2, 1-1 GSAC) and #25 Westmont (10-1, 1-1 GSAC) split the opening-day doubleheader with Westmont winning the first game 9-0 and Jessup taking the second, seven-inning game 3-2.
 
"I felt like we were prepared to play today and that we played good baseball," said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "It was nice to come out in the first one and jump out to a big lead and hold it throughout the game. Our pitchers did a really good job of staying even and steady"
 
In the first game, senior right-hander Grant Garner (3-0) made his fourth start of the game and pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win. Gardner allowed seven hits while striking out four and surrendering two walks.
 
"I don't think Grant had even close to his best stuff today, but he did what Grant does," assessed Ruiz. "He battled and battled and made big pitches in important situations. We turned a couple of big double plays for him and he was a part of two of them. He found a way to get the job done, which is what you want out of your senior captain and Friday starter. I thought he was excellent."
 
Making his first appearance of the season, and the first since an injury last year, Sean Coyne recorded a three-inning save. Coyne allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one in his debut.
 
"Coyne has been working really hard to get back," said Ruiz. "The last two weeks in practice, I have felt good about the conversations we have had about his role and his mindset. He was the best version of the guy we hoped would come in and do what he did."
 
Jessup starter Ricardo Torres (1-1) suffered the loss. He pitched one-plus inning, giving up seven runs (six earned), striking out one and walking two.
 
The Warriors offense got things rolling in the second inning of game one with seven runs on seven hits. With a shift on, Nick Sablock started things off with a ground ball to the left side of the diamond for an infield single. A single to center by Isaiah Leach moved Sablock to second before Travis Vander Molen scorched a double down the left field line, driving in Sablock and Leach. Zach Mendez then stepped to the plate and delivered a deep fly ball well over the right field fence, giving Westmont a 4-0 lead.
 
Taylor Garcia produced the Warriors' fifth straight hit, reaching on a single to right center. Tyler Roper hit a tapper back to the mound that should have resulted in a double play. However, Torres threw the ball wide to the right of second base, allowing Garcia to take third while Roper stayed at first.
 
With Mezurashi serving as a courtesy runner for Roper, Taylor Bush singled to right, driving in Garcia and advancing Mezurashi to second. Luke Coffey then walked to load the bases for Westmont.
 
Manny Velasquez took over the pitching duties for Torres and saw his second pitch sail behind the head of Bryce Morison and all the way to the back stop. Mezurashi scored on the wild pitch and Coffey and Bush moved up to second and third respectively. Morison was issued a walk to reload the bases. One out later, Leach singled to left to score Bush as the seventh run of the inning.
 
Westmont added another run in the bottom of the third. With Josh Hook on the mound for Jessup, Garcia doubled down the third-base line to lead off the inning. After a walk to Roper resulted in Mezurashi back on first as a courtesy runner, Mezurashi and Garcia executed a successful double steal. The throw went to second, but Mezurashi slid around the tag. A single by Bush allowed Garcia to score.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Westmont scored its ninth and final run of the game. Bush led off the inning with a triple that struck the 375-foot sign in center field. Bush scored when Coffey grounded to deep short.
 
Neither team scored in the final four innings of the first game.
 
Westmont returned to its scoring ways in the first inning of the twin bill's second feature. Garcia's lead-off single preceded a sacrifice bunt by Roper. Garcia advanced to third when Bush grounded out to second. With Coffey at the plate, Jessup starter Ashkhon Kuhaulua was called for a balk, allowing Garcia to score.
 
Jessup scored all three of its runs in the third inning. Austen Swift swatted a two-RBI double off the right field fence, then scored on a single to center by Anders Green to make the score 3-1 in favor of Jessup.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Westmont pulled to within one run when Travis Vander Molen homered deep over the right field fence to lead off the inning. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Vander Molen's dinger proved to be the last run of the day.
 
Westmont starter Cory Dawson (2-1) took the loss for Westmont, despite a solid outing. Dawson allowed three runs on five hits in in six and two-thirds innings of work. Dawson struck out eight and issued just one walk.
 
"I have to tip my hat to Cory," said Ruiz. "He had a rough third inning, but he bore down and kept pitching and had a really good outing. I thought it showed a lot for his poise and demeanor as a pitcher. We made a couple of errors - which we haven't down very much this year - and he bore down and made pitches to keep those runs from scoring. I was happy to see him make big pitches in tough situations."
 
Bailey Reid finished up the game for the Warriors, facing just one batter. Reid entered the game in the top of the seventh with two outs and two men on base and coaxed Kawaiola Takemura into lining out.
 
Kuhaulua (3-0) was awarded the complete game win. He gave up two runs on five hits, struck out six and walked one.
 
The two teams will square off again tomorrow, concluding the series with another doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m.
 
"The bullpen is fresh. We didn't have to use very much of it today," said Ruiz. "Our manpower is ready to go for tomorrow. We are going to get back to putting together good at bats offensively and playing good defense."