By Ron Smith
April 23, 2021
 
(COSTA MESA, Calif.) Both Warrior starting pitchers in today's doubleheader against Vanguard walked away with a road victory on Friday. Chad Stoner improved to 4-2 on the year in the series opener as the Warriors posted an 11-9 victory. In the afternoon game, Jaime Kruger allowed just one run on three hits to lead his team to a 4-1 victory while improving to 5-3.
 
With the win, Westmont improves to 26-17 overall and 19-11 in conference play. With two games remaining in the conference regular season, Westmont is in third place in the GSAC standings, two games behind Vanguard who is in first. The Warrior trail second-place Hope International by one game.
 
Vanguard jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first game with a three-run home run by Joe Johnson in the bottom of the first. However John Jensen replied with a two-run home run in the top of the third to pull the Warriors to within one.
 
In the top of the fourth, Drew Bayard singled up the middle to drive in Thomas Rudinsky from second, tying the game at three runs each. After Bayard stole second, Josh Rego picked up an RBI with another single up the middle.
 
Westmont added to its advantage in the fifth inning by producing six singles and driving in four runs. Rudinsky drove in Jensen with a single through the left side before Rego singled to center to plate Ryan Desaegher and Rudinsky. A sacrifice fly from Daniel Netz brought Bayard home for the final run of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions' Grady Conner and Kevin Miser hit back-to-back dingers to bring Vanguard to within two (8-6).
 
Netz responded with a three-run blast in the top of the seventh, driving in Bayard and Rego who had each reach courtesy of a walk.
 
Westmont took an 11-6 lead into the eighth, but a two-run shot by Johnson and an RBI-single by Conner cut the lead to two (11-9). However, with two away in the eighth, Robbie Haw took over pitching duties and recorded a four-out save, his fifth saves of the game.
 
In the second game, Westmont bats gave Kruger a three-run cushion before he even took the mound. With one away in the top of the first, Alex Stufft recorded an infield single and then took second on a wild pitch. Simon Reid singled up the middle to drive in Stufft before Rudinsky homered to right.
 
Brady Renck extended Westmont's lead to 4-0 with a solo home run to right center in the fourth.
 
Vanguard's only run came in the bottom half of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to left by Omar Ortiz.
 
Kruger pitched five and two-thirds inning for the Warriors before Will Anderson took the bump in relief. Anderson pitched one and one-third scoreless innings to earn his first save of the year.
 
With the four home runs in today's doubleheader, the 2021 edition of the Westmont Warriors has set a new record for home runs in one season. The team has pounded out 58 round-trippers, exceeding the previous record of 55 set two seasons ago.
 
Jensen leads the way with 13 home runs while Netz has delivered 10 – all in the last 18 games. Rudinsky has contributed nine four-baggers while Reid and Stufft have added six each.
 
The Warriors and Lions will meet up tomorrow for another doubleheader at Dean Harvey Field. No spectators will be admitted to the game due to COVID-19 restrictions.