By Ron Smith
April 22, 2022
 
(COSTA MESA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (39-8, 23-7), ranked sixth in the NAIA, suffered its first doubleheader sweep of the year on a blustery day in Costa Mesa. The ninth-ranked Lions of Vanguard (41-10, 22-8) defeated the Warriors 4-0 in the first game and 10-2 in the second.
 
Offensively, the Warriors couldn't put enough hits together and left a total of 22 on base over 16 innings of play today.
 
Bryan Peck (5-3) started the first game for the Warriors by setting down the first 12 batters he faced, including striking out the side in the second inning. In all, Peck fanned five Lions.
 
Vanguard's Joe Johnson put an end to Peck's streak of retired batters with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the fifth, recording what would prove to be all the offense the Lions would need. Vanguard went on to score two additional runs in the fifth and add one more in the sixth.
 
Peck was charged with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings of work. Zach Yates pitched the seventh and eighth innings, retiring six in a row.
 
In the second game, starter Eric Oseguera suffered his first loss of the year (9-1), giving up six runs, three of which were earned, on five hits in two innings of work.
 
Offensively, the Warriors finally got on the board on a lead-off home run to left field by Thomas Rudinsky, his 11th of the year. Rudinsky now leads the team with 52 RBIs.
 
The only other run by the Warriors was produced in the fifth inning. Brady Renck scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Josh Rego to center field. Renck had walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on the single by Simon Reid and reached third when Rudinsky was walked.
 
As a result of today's action, Vanguard has moved into a tie for second place in the GSAC standings with Hope International. The Royals, who split a doubleheader with The Master's today, and Vanguard are one game behind Westmont heading into tomorrow's (Saturday's) final games of the regular season.
 
Westmont, whose magic number is now two, can clinch a share of the GSAC Regular Season Championship with one win tomorrow. The Warriors can claim sole possession of the championship with two wins or one win and a loss by Hope International.