By Ron Smith
February 7, 2019
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Isaiah Leach excited the crowd at Russ Carr Field as well as his teammates by delivering a three-run walk-off home run on Thursday afternoon. The towering shot to right field gave #25 Westmont Baseball (3-0) a 6-4 victory over the Thunderbirds of British Columbia (0-3).
 
With the Warriors down 6-4 after eight and one-half innings of play, shortstop Taylor Bush led off the bottom of the ninth and drilled a ball down the left field line for a double. Third baseman Luke Coffey then hit a double to the right field corner. Bush had to hold up at second to see if Thunderbird right fielder Lucas Soper would make the catch. The ball fell fair near the foul pole, but Bush was able to advance only as far as third base.
 
After Paul Mezurashi pinch ran for Coffey at second, Leach stepped to the plate. The junior right fielder had gone hitless in four at bats and had struck out three times, but that was all in the past. Leach jumped on the first pitch he saw, driving it over the fence for the win.
 
"All the years I have been playing baseball, I have never had a walk-off," said Leach. "T-Bush and Luke had two great at bats right before me. I knew it was a big spot. I had been struggling all day and hadn't been seeing the ball very well, but I knew that my teammates had my back. I knew that my coaches believe in me, my teammates believe in me and I believe in me too. It was just about seeing a pitch and doing what I have been doing all Fall – putting a good swing on it and letting the results happen.
 
"The pitch was a fast ball that caught over a little bit of the middle of the plate. I was able to put a good swing on it. We have a little bit of a power ally to right field, so I was able to put in up in the jet stream and let it go."
 
As Leach was circling the base pads, the dugout emptied and headed for home plate to greet him.
 
"As I rounded third and touched coach's hand, I looked up and saw everybody around home. Honestly, I'm not sure what happened except I know I took my helmet off. Everyone was pushing me and screaming. It was one of the best feelings in the world."
 
"Isaiah had three strikeouts on the day and he comes up with a huge hit," said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "That is such an important lesson in baseball. You just have to remember that your team needs you for one at bat. It was fun to be a part of that. Walk-off games are fun when you are on the winning side of it."
 
Warrior bats tallied 14 hits on the day, which pleased Ruiz.
 
"In spots, I thought we saw a little more of what we thought our offense can be," noted Ruiz. "I don't think it was consistent from inning one to nine, but it is a huge step in the right direction from where we were a week ago. We think we have a chance to be solid offensively, so it is nice to see guys get more comfortable at the plate.
 
"Tyler Roper did a phenomenal job offensively and defensively, he led our team all day. Taylor Bush had a really nice day. Every guy we brought in in off the bench to hit either got a hit or put a good barrel on the ball. Our bench did a nice job of coming in a giving us a chance to win that game. Top to bottom, our offense took a step in the right direction."
 
Westmont bats were hot from the start. With one away in the bottom of the first, Roper singled to center field on a line drive. Mezurashi took over at first as a courtesy runner before Bush was issued a free pass to give Westmont runners at first and second. A single through the left side by Coffey scored Mezurashi and recorded the third baseman's fourth RBI on the season.
 
It did not take long for the Thunderbirds to tie up the game. Designated hitter Jaxon Valcke led off the inning and drove the second pitch he saw over the right field fence.
 
The bottom of the second saw the Warriors get back on top. Center fielder Bryce Morison led off with an infield single deep in the hole between short and third. First baseman Travis Vander Molen followed with a walk. Two outs later, Roper drove another ball deep into the hole at short and beat the throw from British Columbia's Mike Fitzsimmons to load the bases with two away. Bush stepped to the plate and deposited a 1-0 pitch into left field to bring home both Morison and Vander Molen and give Westmont a 3-1 lead.
 
After a scoreless third for both teams, Thunderbirds left fielder Jordan Dray drew the visitors within one run when he delivered a lead-off homer deep over the right field fence.
 
British Columbia pulled ahead in the top of the sixth on a two-RBI single to right by first baseman Ty Penner and a two-RBI double down the left field line by pinch hitter Noah Or. The double would have driven in three but Westmont left fielder Daniel Netz fielded the ball and threw it to Coffey who relayed it on to Roper at home. Roper applied the tag to Nolan Weger before he could slide home.
 
Westmont picked up one run on a two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth. After Devin Perez pinch hit for Netz and singled to right field, second baseman Taylor Garcia was hit by a pitch, advancing Perez to second. Netz re-entered the game and took Perez' place on the second base bag. Roper then delivered his fourth hit of the game, knocking a single into right field and driving in Netz.
 
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth innings and the Thunderbirds were retired in order in the top of the ninth to set up the game-ending heroics
 
Kody McLain (1-0), who pitched three and two-thirds innings, was credited with the win. McLain, who was not charged with a run, allowed just two hits, struck out three and walked two. Grant Gardener started the game and pitched five and one-third inning allowing six runs on seven hits.
 
"I am really happy with the way our pitchers competed," said Ruiz. "Today, Grant didn't have his 'A' stuff, but the reason he is our Friday starter is he always gives us his 'A' stuff in terms of competitiveness. He is ready to compete and doesn't back down. We always know that we are going to get the same demeanor out of him. I was proud of the way he battled through even though.
 
"That was the second college appearance for Kody McLain against a good offense. I was really happy with what I saw out of him."
 
Reliever James Bradwell was tagged with the loss for British Columbia after giving up three runs on four hits in one-plus innings of work. Niall Windeler started for the Thunderbirds and pitched five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Relieve Barry Caine pitched two innings, giving up one run on three hits.
 
The Warriors and Thunderbirds will play game two of their four game series tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for two o'clock.