By Ron Smith
February 23, 2020
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Justin Sanders earned his fourth win of the season in the first of two make-up games today at Russ Carr Field. Westmont (11-8, 6-2 GSAC), ranked 15th in the NAIA, took the first game 9-3 from the Hawks of San Diego Christian (9-10, 2-6), but dropped the second 3-1.
 
Sanders, who lowered his season ERA to 1.08, pitched six innings allowing three unearned runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out five.
 
After the Hawks opened the scoring with a single run in the top of the second, the Warriors responded by putting across five runs in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded, senior second baseman Taylor Garcia was walked to bring home Drew Bayard, tying the score at one.
 
Freshman catcher Simon Reid then came to the plate and blasted a three-RBI triple to left field, driving in Alex Stufft, Brady Renck and Garcia. Senior first baseman Travis Vander Molen followed with a single through the left side to score Reid and give the Warriors a 5-1 advantage.
 
Both teams also scored in the fourth with the Hawks claiming two and the Warriors notching three. Vander Molen's double down the right-field line in the bottom half of the inning drove in Renck and Garcia – both of whom had reached on singles to start the inning. Devin Perez picked up the third run of the inning with a single through the right side that scored Vander Molen from second.
 
Vander Molen, who went four for five in the first game, notched his fourth RBI in the sixth inning when he singled through the left side to score Garcia from third.
 
Kody McLain made his first appearance of the 2020 season pitching in the seventh and eighth innings. McLain did not allow a run or surrender a hit. He walked one and struck out three.
 
Eric Olson pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit, striking out one and walking one.
 
Westmont's offense disappeared in the second game as the Warriors managed just one hit against junior right-hander Keanu Walkush, who picked up the complete game win for the Hawks.
 
The Warriors' lone run came in the bottom of the first when Vander Molen delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Paul Mezurashi from third base. Mezurashi was running for Simon Reid, who had reached on a one-out single through the right side.
 
Ryan Humphreys suffered the loss for the Warriors despite giving up just two runs (one earned) on six hits in five innings of work. Humphreys struck out seven and issued just one free pass.
 
With one-quarter of the conference season in the books, the Warriors find themselves tied for first place with Hope International (13-5, 6-2) atop the GSAC standings.
 
Next weekend, the Warriors will travel to Santa Clarita to take on The Master's in another GSAC four-game series.