By Ron Smith
February 12, 2021
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball claimed both games in today's doubleheader against the Red Hawks of Simpson (0-2). With the pair of wins, the Warriors even their season record to 3-3. Westmont won the first game 8-4 and the second 8-5.
 
After the Warriors gave up a pair of runs in the top of the first, John Jensen led off the bottom of the opening frame with a solo home run down the right field line to pull the Warriors within one.
 
Both teams added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Warriors' runs in the fifth came as a result of a sacrifice fly by Brady Renck that scored Daniel Netz from third. Netz had led off the inning and reached on a dropped third strike.
 
In the sixth, Thomas Rudinsky led off the inning with a triple, then scored when Drew Bayard poked a sacrifice fly into left.
 
The big production for the Warriors, however, came in the five-run eighth inning. With two away and the bases loaded, Alex Stufft doubled to deep left center, driving in three runs. Two batters later, Renck doubled down the right field line to drive in two more.
 
Alex Blaszyk (1-1) picked up the win while pitching in relief. He pitched two scoreless innings allowing just one hit and striking out two. Chad Stoner started for the Warriors and went seven innings. He allowed four runs on nine hits, struck out five and walked two.
 
In the second game, which was slated for seven innings, the Warriors scored twice in the bottom of the first. Simon Reid and Josh Rego delivered back-to-back RBI doubles to put Westmont in the driver's seat.
 
Westmont added two more runs in the third to go up 4-0. Devin Perez drove in the first run with a single to right. Rego advanced to third on the play and was later awarded home plate when a Simpson pitcher balked.
 
In the fourth, Rudinsky hit a solo home run to put Westmont on top 5-0.
 
After Simpson scored twice in the top of the fifth, Westmont made up for it with three runs in the bottom half. Rego led off with a walk and later scored from third on a wild pitch. Bayard scored when Stufft singled to left field. Lennie Rodriguez scored from third on an RBI-groundout by Robbie Haw.
 
Simpson managed three runs on five hits in the top of the seventh, but that was not enough to catch the Warriors.
 
Starter Jaime Kruger (1-1) was awarded the win. He pitched six innings, giving up two runs on four hits. He struck out 10 and walked three.
 
The two teams will meet again tomorrow for another doubleheader at Russ Carr Field. Due to state and county mandates forbidding spectators at intercollegiate games, fans will not be permitted to attend. Instead, they can follow the action on Westmont Sports Network at: https://athletics.westmont.edu/video.