By Jacob Norling
April 10, 2021
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) (RV) Westmont (24-17, 17-11) was left frustrated after splitting another pair of games, and the series, against #12 Hope International (24-12, 19-9) on Saturday. Westmont remains two games back of both Hope and #4 Vanguard with only one series left for the Warriors in the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season.
 
"I thought we played good baseball," said Westmont head coach Robert Ruiz. "They're a good team that's well coached and we know that they take advantage of mistakes. But it was a good series against a good team that's probably going to be a playoff team and I hope we have a chance to be the same."
 
In game one Eric Oseguera got the start for the Warriors and went three solid innings, as he continued to build his pitch count in only his third outing of the year. The two sides were knotted at three in the bottom of the third when Daniel Netz put Westmont on top for good in game one.
 
Netz hit a moonshot to straight-away left field with two men aboard for a three-run home run, his eighth of the season as he continued to prove himself a formidable threat in the heart of the Warrior lineup.
 
"The trajectory of Daniel's ability to impact our team has been phenomenal," said Ruiz. "He just continues to get better week by week and he just finds a way to get a little bit better every single day."
 
Chase Goddard continued to act as the young ace of the Warrior pitching staff, going four innings in relief while surrendering only two runs and picking up his third win of the season.
 
The feel good story of game one revolved around Senior Josh Rego, who had a career day going three-for-five, with three runs scored and 3 RBIs. Rego's three hits, runs scored, and RBIs were all career-highs. In 68 at bats this season Rego is quietly hitting .353 with an OPS of .953.
 
"Rego has been a good hitter for us all year," said Ruiz. "There's never a doubt in our minds that he can't hit and contribute offensively. I have a lot of respect for him because every role we've put him in he has done what's asked of him. He's a competitor, he's selfless, and he's a good team guy. I'm not surprised by his success."
 
Rego's biggest hit of the game was his third, which came in the bottom of the eighth. With the Warriors already up 7-5, Rego doubled off the base of the wall in right center to drive in two and pad the Westmont lead. The Warriors would add on two more in the inning and they needed every inch of breathing they could afford.
 
The Royals got within three of the Warriors in the ninth and then loaded the bases. With the potential go-ahead run at the plate in the form of Domenic Donato, Robbie Haw induced a game ending groundout to seal the 11-8 victory.
 
In game two the Royals put up five against Westmont starter Kyle Osterhage who went two-plus innings and the Warrior bats never seemed to truly wake up.
 
Netz got the Warriors in the run column with two outs in the fourth, when he hit his second home run of the day and ninth of the season.
 
Reliever Cameron Phelps kept the club within slam range after tossing a pair of scoreless innings as the game entered the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom half of the inning the Warriors had their best look at the game when Thomas Rudinsky stepped to the plate with two on and two out. But Rudinsky bounced out to third to end the threat prematurely.
 
The Royals added one in each of the sixth and seventh innings, and the bullpen held the Westmont bats at bay to take the series finale 7-1.
 
"Their pitching's experience showed on the mound today," said Ruiz. "I give credit to them for knowing how to pitch and keep their guys in the lead. We just couldn't get anything to fall. We hit some balls well and hit into some double plays and at the end of the day that's baseball."
 
Westmont's final GSAC series of the regular season will take place two weekends from now in Costa Mesa against #4 Vanguard, with much of Westmont's postseason chances still up in the air.
 
"We're obviously frustrated with a split," said Ruiz. "But we still have a really important series ahead of us. I think we know what's at stake so at the end of the day it's just going to be about getting better and focusing on what's ahead of us. We'll be ready."