By Jacob Norling
February 27, 2021
 
(AZUSA, Calif.) #13 Westmont (10-5, 4-0) split a pair on Saturday, first winning an instant classic against #14 (NCAA Division II) Azusa Pacific (2-1) in 14 innings by a score of 10-9, before dropping game two 7-0.
 
On Friday, Westmont allowed nine runs to the Cougars in the second inning alone, ultimately losing 16-5 in an unimpressive showing for the Warriors.
 
Westmont had no intention of repeating Friday's events.
 
Westmont's second batter of the game, Thomas Rudinksy, swung at the first pitch he saw and hammered a ball down the left field fine, for a solo homerun. Following Rudinksy's third home run of the year the Warrior bench erupted, and didn't get a chance to calm down for the next four hours.
 
The very next batter, Simon Reid, took two pitches out of the zone and then got a fastball he was ready for. Reid deposited the ball just over the wall in straight-away right field for his first home run of the year, as the Warriors went back-to-back in the first inning.
 
Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz said, "I thought our guys did a good job making an adjustment from yesterday. Today we tried to be a little more aggressive early and our guys did a really good job executing and getting us on the board early."
 
In the bottom of the third inning, Westmont starter Chase Stoner held a two-run lead with the bases loaded and one out. Stoner induced a ground ball to the right side which appeared to be a tailor-made 4-6-3 double play. However, after the lead out, a low throw from Robbie Haw got past the first-baseman Rudinksy. Two runs scored on the play, and the game was tied.
 
Westmont entered the dugout frustrated, but Drew Bayard quickly allowed the club to exhale again. Following a single by Reid, Bayard launched a no-doubter to right-field that Azusa's defense didn't bother to move for. Westmont's third home run of the day put them back ahead 4-2.
 
Following a walk by Netz and a single by Alex Stufft, Parker O'Neil lined a ball back up the middle to bring in Netz and put the Warriors up 5-2. John Jensen brought in another on a sacrifice fly as Westmont answered the Cougars two runs in the bottom of the third, with four of their own in the top of the fourth. The Warriors led 6-2.
 
Azusa never let the Warriors sit comfortable for too long, scoring three runs in the fourth and fifth innings combined, almost taking the lead in the sixth.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Cougars put runners at first and second with two outs when Joe Kim lifted a ball to left center field that appeared ticketed for the alley. However, Daniel Netz sprinted to his left and fully sprawled out, made a spectacular catch that kept the Warriors in the lead going into the late innings.
 
In the ensuing half-inning, the Warriors put three more runs on the board, getting two runs on a single by Netz. Westmont led 9-5 with nine outs needed.
 
Azusa refused to go quietly, adding a pair of runs before the game entered the ninth.
 
Clinging on to a 9-7 lead in the bottom of the 9th, Westmont was one out away from victory with a runner on first when the five o'clock shadows insisted the game go to extras.
 
A fly ball was hit directly into the sun down the left field line, and Netz battled the glare as best he could, but couldn't reel in what would have been the final out of the game. So, with runners at second and third and two outs, Carlos Moreno faced off against Azusa's Aaron Roose.
 
Moreno got ahead of Roose 0-2 but left a ball over the plate and Roose lined one up the middle into center field, tying the game at nine. An out later the game headed into extra innings.
 
Westmont was retired one-two-three in the top of the 10th, and in the bottom half of the inning Westmont reliever Chase Goddard was able to work around a pair of singles to send the game into the 11th.
 
Simon Reid led the 11th with a walk, after working the count full, and Josh Rego followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Reid into scoring position.
 
After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Reid remained on third base with two outs for Daniel Netz, who went down looking on a fastball at the knees.
 
In the bottom of the 11th, Goddard allowed a lead-off walk, followed by a fly out and a fielder's choice. Brett Soria, with the potential winning run on second, lined one into center field right at Drew Bayard. The game would see a 12th inning.
 
In the 12th, Brady Renck worked a two-out walk and took second on a pitch in the dirt, but Azusa's David Hayes struck out John Jensen looking to end the inning.
 
Goddard wouldn't waver. He continued giving the Warriors chance after chance, working past a one-out single to send the game to the 13th, but again the Warriors went down quickly in the top half
 
With a runner on second and two outs in the bottom half of the 13th, Chase Goddard struck out Roose, to send the game to the 14th. Goddard threw five scoreless inning starting in the 10th inning, which set the stage for a nail-biting 14th.
 
With one out in the top of the 14th, Netz laid down a perfect push bunt for an infield single. Stufft then hit a thirty-foot chopper back to Hayes, who rushed the throw and airmailed the ball into the right field. Netz took third on the throw and Stufft remained at first, allowing Parker O'Neil the chance to be a hero.
 
With two strikes, O'Neil pulled a rabbit out of his hat, laying down a safety-squeeze up the first base line that Azusa had no choice but to let roll, hoping to see it go foul. O'Neil's bunt hung side-by-side with the first base chalk, rolling for 90 feet and hitting the first base bag for an RBI single. The Warriors led 10-9 in the top of the 14th.
 
Coach Ruiz spoke highly of O'Neil's ability to come through in a tough spot, saying, "That late in the game, sometimes you have to find a weird way to get the job done. Right there, we tried to bring the element of surprise, and luckily it went in our favor. That's a tough thing to be called on for, a push bunt with two strikes, so for Parker to execute there was huge for us."
 
The Warriors stranded the bases loaded after strikeouts by Jensen and Rudinksy, and Goddard went back out for the bottom of the 14th, with a chance to be a cap off an incredible outing.
 
Following a one-out single, Azusa's Gabe Ramos served a soft liner into center field that looked like trouble. Drew Bayard got a perfect jump however, and made a diving catch to pull the Warriors within one out of victory.
 
Four hours and 48 minutes after first-pitch, Chase Goddard struck out Tyus Santa Anna, to win it for the Warriors. Goddard earned the first win of his Westmont career, throwing five scoreless innings in relief.
 
Coach Ruiz gave a ton of credit to Goddard, saying, "Unbelievable outing for a true freshman. Those guys were really talented at the plate and I was really proud of our young guys on the mound getting the job done. Carlos Moreno also did a fantastic job in the eighth and ninth.
 
"You know, if we don't have a fly ball get caught in the sun, Moreno would have been the hero. But still he kept us in the game and got us into extras. Then with Goddard, again he was unbelievable today. For him to have that much confidence and composure as a true freshman is invaluable experience for his future in our program."
 
The Warriors and the Cougars kicked off game two just before 7:30 PM, with Azusa sending former Westmont ace Corey Dawson to the mound.
 
Dawson began his Azusa career with a one-two-three inning, striking out old friend Drew Bayard to end the frame.
 
Westmont countered in game two with Ryan Humphreys, who also retired the side in order to start his night.
 
Will Stroud put the Cougars on the board first in the bottom of the second inning, with a two-run home run halfway up the protective netting in left field. Tyus Santa Anna added on to Azusa's lead two batters later, following a two-out double with an RBI double of his own.
 
Through four innings, the Warriors couldn't crack the code on Corey Dawson, as he went into the fifth inning without allowing a hit. Dawson up to that point had only surrendered one walk, and struck out five.
 
In the bottom of the fourth Humphreys stranded a pair, striking out Santa Anna to end the inning, and keeping the Warriors within three.
 
Westmont ended Dawson's no-hit bid on an Alex Stufft single with one out in the fifth, but Dawson allowed no further base runners, completing his fifth and final inning scoreless.
 
Humphreys finished his evening stranding another pair of Cougars in the bottom of the fifth, nearing the century mark in pitches.
 
Tyus Santa Anna hit what felt like a game-icing three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, to put the Warriors down six. Osvaldo Tovalin added another with a solo shot of his own, to make it 7-0.
 
Westmont mustered only three hits in game two, getting shut out for the first time this season.
 
Coach Ruiz still had a positive outlook on the day, saying, "I thought we stayed competitive, and what I was most proud of is how our guys bounced back from a tough day yesterday and competed extremely well. Yeah, they got us two out of three, but I thought we left everything out on the field and totally changed our demeanor from yesterday. We sort of answered the challenge to be a little more competitive today and APU is a very good team. I thought our guys didn't back down, and I was proud of how we responded today."
 
Westmont resumes Golden State Athletic Conference play with a four series at Hope International next weekend. Spectators will not be permitted, due to local and state mandates. Fans can tune in to live broadcasts next weekend at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/hiu/