By Ron Smith
February 14, 2021
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (5-3) completed a four-game sweep of the Simpson Red Hawks (0-4) with resounding victories of 17-1 and 10-0 on Saturday. Impressive performances both on the mound and in the batter's box facilitated the Warrior victories.
 
In the first game, the Warriors tallied 13 hits including two grand slams in back-to-back innings. The Warriors put up four runs in the first inning on RBI-doubles by Thomas Rudinky and Drew Bayard and a two-RBI single by Alex Stufft.
 
Westmont doubled their advantage to 8-0 in the second inning when Bayard powered a grand slam to right center field.
 
By the end of the third, Westmont had a 14-0 lead. Robbie Haw scored the first of six runs when Bayard was walked with the bases loaded. John Jensen then scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Josh Rego. After Devin Perez walked to reload the bases, Stufft brought all the runners home with a grand slam to left.
 
Westmont added another run in the bottom of the sixth when Parker Zarbaugh scored from third on a wild pitch.
 
After the Red Hawks scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh, Westmont added two more in the bottom half of the same inning. A double by Daniel Netz drove in Rego who had previously doubled to left. Netz later scored on an RBI-single by Haw.
 
Starting pitcher Gabe Arteaga (1-1), who pitched five innings, was awarded the win. Arteaga allowed just three hits in a scoreless performance. He struck out three without surrendering a walk.
 
Bradley Heacock, Chase Goddard and Jeremiah Canada finished off the final four innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits.
 
In the second game, Ryan Humphreys took the mound and stuck out nine of the first 10 batters that he faced. In five innings of work, Humphreys struck out 10 and allowed just one walk. He did not give up a walk.
 
Humphreys likely would have continued in the game past the fifth inning. However, in the bottom of the fifth inning, an injury to a Red Hawk player that suspended the game for 26 minutes. The bottom of the third was extended already due to Westmont's offensive efforts, so a decision was made by the Warrior coaching staff to retire Humphreys from the game.
 
Cameron Phelps and Carlos Moreno pitched the final two innings of the seven-inning game without allowing a hit or walk and while striking out two.
 
Over the 16 innings of baseball on Saturday, Westmont pitchers allowed just seven hits, struck out 21 and walked one batter – all without giving up an earned run.
 
Offensively, Westmont scored in each of the first five innings. In the first, Westmont scored when Simon Reid singled down the right field line to drive in Jensen. Jensen drove in a run in the second with a single to right. Brady Renck scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch, giving the Warriors a 3-0 lead after two.
 
Another two runs were tallied in the third. The first off an RBI-double by Stufft that drove in Perez. A single by Jensen allowed Stufft to score from third.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Stufft singled up the middle to drive in Reid from second and Bayard from third.
 
Three runs scored in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Reid produced a sacrifice fly to deep left field to drive in Haw. Jensen then scored on a wild pitch. A single by Bayard up the middle scored Paul Mezurashi for the final run of the series.
 
On the day, Stufft was six for six at the plate with three doubles, a home run, three runs scored and nine RBIs. Jensen was four for four with a double, two RBIs, five runs scored and three stolen bases. Bayard went three of five with two extra base hits, seven RBIs, two walks and four runs scored.
 
This week, the Warriors start Golden State Athletic Conference play with a four-game series against San Diego Christian at Thorrington Field.
 
Due to COVID-19 related mandates by the State of California and County of Santa Barbara, spectators will not be admitted to any athletic events at Westmont. Fans can follow the action on broadcasts provided by the Westmont Sports Network at https://athletics.westmont.edu/video.