By Ron Smith
April 6, 2019
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (27-10, 14-10 GSAC) tallied 30 runs and 31 hits over two games as the #18 Warriors swept a doubleheader at San Diego Christian by scores of 18-7 and 12-5.
 
"We did a good job of getting runners on base, playing against the game and not making situations bigger than they needed to be," offered Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "In the long run we got rewarded for that,"
 
With three wins in the four-game series, Ruiz has become the winningest coach in program history. In his tenth year at the helm, Ruiz, who has a coaching record of 284-213-1 (.571), surpassed John Kirkgard's 281 wins collected over 13 seasons (1984-1996).
 
"I got a chance to talk to Coach Kirkgard and told him that he built this program and that I feel grateful to be a part of it," said Ruiz. "It has been a decade of work for our coaching staff. It is a program accomplishment and I am grateful for all the players and coaches who have contributed to it. We have tried to do things the right way and it has been a privilege to be a part of this."
 
In the first game, starter Justin Sanders (6-1) earned the win after pitching five innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits, struck out nine and walked three. Dante Poleselli relieved Sanders and pitched two scoreless innings. He struck out five, and walked one.
 
"Dante came in at a point when San Diego was very much in that game," noted Ruiz. "He gave us our first one-two-three inning of the game. He threw some really good sliders and did a really good job. He is developing as a pitcher and we needed him to bridge the gap and give our offense a chance to score some more runs."
 
Andrew Sims pitched the final inning, retiring the side in order and striking out two.
 
Westmont's first two runs came in the first inning, courtesy of RBI-singles by Nick Sablock and Isaiah Leach. Westmont added three more in the second inning to go up 5-0. Westmont scored three runs on an-RBI single by Chad Jones. An error on the play allowed two unearned runs to score.
 
After giving up a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, Westmont took them right back in the top of the fourth when Leach drove a two RBI-double to left center field.
 
In the fifth inning, Westmont tacked on five more runs to go up 12-4. A single by Chad Jones drove in the first, the second came when Sablock reached on an error. A wild pitch allowed Sablock to score the third run and a bases-loaded walk to Andrew Stufft produced the fourth. The final run of the inning scored when Tyler Roper recorded an infield single that drove in Taylor Bush.
 
Westmont added its 13th run with an RBI-single up the middle by Zach Mendez.
 
In the eighth inning, Westmont notched four more runs. Andrew Bayard drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single to left field. Another bases-loaded walk to Stuftt brought in the third run before Kyle Soria produced a sacrifice fly that scored Bayard.
 
"Andrew Bayard came in off the bench today and was really solid," said Ruiz. "He had good at bats and helped carry the offense again."
 
A lead-off triple to left by Sage Pera turned into the 18th Warrior run when Paul Mezurashi hit a ground ball to third.
 
There was an increase of drama in the second game. The first run of the game came in the top of the fourth inning when Bayard singled to right to drive in Bush from second base. Westmont took a 3-0 in the top of the fifth when Sablock's two-RBI double down the right field line drove in Bryce Morison and Mezurashi.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, things fell apart for the Warriors. Without giving up a hit, Westmont allowed the Hawks to score three runs and reload the bases. A double by Tanner Mayberry scored two more runs, giving San Diego Christian a 5-3 lead.
 
After a scoreless sixth, Westmont entered the final (seventh) inning needing two runs to extend the game.
 
They scored nine.
 
It was the most runs scored by the Warriors in one inning since March 12, 2016 when the Warriors tallied 12 against The Master's in the fifth inning of a seven-inning game.
 
Sablock's double down the left field line scored Jones to pull the Warriors within one and put men on second and third with no outs. After Leach was intentionally walked, Bush singled through the left side to drive in Sablock and Morison and give Westmont a 6-5 lead.
 
A wild pitch brought in Mezurashi before Stufft cleared the previously loaded bases with a triple to right center. Stufft scored when Roper singled to right center. The final run came off the bat of Morison who tripled to right center.
 
"Alex Stufft was phenomenal all weekend at the plate," said Ruiz. "He put together good at bat after good at bat and was a catalyst for us. Chad Jones did the exact same thing. Both of those guys went deep into counts, hit well with two strikes, had clutch hits and executed in situational opportunities where we need to move runners or get guys across the plate."
 
Sablock, who pitched the final inning and one-third, was awarded the win, his first of the year.
 
"Nick came in after we had had a rough inning," said Ruiz. "For him to come in and keep it where it was, getting two strikeouts, was huge. Nick pitched for us for the first time last week. I can't say enough about his performance this weekend."
 
The Warriors will host The Master's next weekend in the final home stand of the season. Doubleheaders will be played on Friday and Saturday with play beginning on both days at 11:00 a.m.