By Ron Smith
April 8, 2024
 
(FRESNO, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (26-9-3, 17-2-1 PacWest), ranked 20th in NCAA Division II, concluded the season series at Fresno Pacific (17-17, 8-12) on Monday afternoon by claiming a pair of wins. The Warriors won the first game 6-1, then endured a rollercoaster of a game, prevailing 18-8 in the nightcap.
 
As a result, the Warriors claimed their fifth PacWest series win (three games to one) and secured a one-game advantage atop the PacWest Conference standings over Point Loma Nazarene (27-8-1, 18-5-1).
 
Sean Youngerman took the mound for the Warriors in game one and picked up his eighth win of the season. The sophomore right-hander has appeared in 10 games for Westmont (nine as a starter), all of which were won by the Warriors. In seven innings of work, Youngerman allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven.
 
Chris Goddard pitched the final two innings, holding the Sunbirds scoreless. Goddard allowed two hits, struck out two and did not issue a walk.
 
The Sunbirds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Donte Valdez that brought in Trent Mallonee from third. Mallonee had reached on a walk to lead off the inning, then arrived safely at third on a double by Andrew Valdez.
 
Westmont did not get on the scoreboard until the top of the fifth, following a lead-off single up the middle by Andrew Guidara. Guidara stole second, then one out later, made it to third on a single by Daniel Patterson. After Patterson stole second, Jack Bollengier hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield to drive in Guidara and advance Patterson to third. Patterson scored when Bryce McFeely reached via an error by the Sunbirds' third baseman.
 
The Warriors added three more runs in the top of the sixth. With one away, Trey Dunn singled through the right side. A single to center by Joey Rico allowed Dunn to reach second. Then with two outs, Colin Callahan singled up the middle to load the bases.
 
That turned the lineup over and brought up Patterson. The Warriors' third baseman doubled down the right field line to drive in both Dunn and Rico. After a Fresno Pacific pitching change, Bollengier reached on an error by the Sunbirds' first baseman, allowing Callahan to score and making the score 5-1 in favor of the Warriors.
 
Bollengier made an incredible play in center field in the bottom of the sixth to preserve Westmont's four-run lead. With a man on first, Andrew Valdez hit a line drive into left center field that looked like a sure single. However, Bollengier sprinted to his right and made a diving catch to retire Valdez. He then got up and fired to first in time to double up Gabe Henderson who was scrambling, unsuccessfully, to get back to first base.
 
The score remained the same until the top of the ninth, when Westmont added one more. With one away,  McFeely doubled down the right field line. A single by Michael Soper, his third of the game, moved McFeely to third. Liam Critchett provided the sacrifice fly that allowed McFeely to touch home plate.
 
Game two started off well with Daniel Patterson hitting a solo bomb to left for his 12th home run of the year. Nine times this season he has led off an inning with a home run. Six of those nine have been in the Warriors' first at bat of the game.
 
The 1-0 lead did not last long. The Sunbirds scored seven times in the bottom of the first on three hit batsmen, two walks and three hits.
 
Facing a six run deficit, the Warriors narrowed the margin to five runs on a sacrifice fly by Tyler McEvoy that scored Tanner Beltowski from third. Beltowski had previously reached first on a one-out single up the middle. Trey Dunn's double to the right field line moved Beltowski to third before McEvoy came up to bat.
 
The game turned around to favor Westmont in the top of the third. The Warriors entered the game down by five (7-2), sent 17 men to the plate, and left the half-inning with a 15-7 advantage.
 
A lead-off walk by Patterson and an infield single by Bollengier set up McFeely for a three-run blast over the left field fence, making the score 7-5. It was McFeely's ninth home run of the year. Then with one away, Finn Snyder singled to center and Beltowski walked. After a pitching change, Dunn was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. That brought up McEvoy who was also hit with a pitch, earning an RBI as the score changed to 7-6.
 
With the bases still loaded, Callahan singled to center field, driving in Beltowski, tying the score at seven and leaving the bases loaded. After another pitching change, Patterson made his second appearance of the inning and was walked, putting Westmont up 8-7. Then Bollengier was walked, forcing in another run.
 
A sacrifice fly by McFeely scored Callahan from third and advanced Patterson to third before Soper singled to center field, driving in Patterson. That forced the third pitching change of the inning, following which Snyder and Soper each moved up a base on a wild pitch.
 
Beltowski came up to the plate again and reached on an error that allowed Soper to score and that moved Snyder over to third. Dunn then doubled to center field, driving in Snyder and Beltowski and making it a 15-7 game.
 
The inning totals for the Warriors in the top of the third were 13 runs, on seven hits, one error, three walks and two hit batsmen. To this writer's memory of covering 20 years of Warrior baseball, that is the largest number of runs scored in a single inning during that span.
 
Westmont added a single run in the top of the fifth. After Snyder led off and reached on a walk, Beltowski singled to right allowing Snyder to reach third. One out later, Snyder was able to score on a groundout by McEvoy.
 
The Sunbirds also scored a single run in their half of the fifth. A lead-off walk eventually resulted in Chris Clement scoring on a wild pitch. That made the score 16-8.
 
In the top of the sixth, Westmont extended their advantage to double digits. A lead-off double by Patterson, followed by a single by Bollengier got the inning started. After McFeely walked, the Warriors hit into a double play that saw Patterson score. Then Isaac Veal pinch hit and delivered an RBI-double to left center to provide the final margin of victory (18-8).
 
Evan Johnson earned the win for the Warriors, improving to 2-0. He pitched three and one-third innings in relief allowing two runs on six hits. The freshman struck out one and did not issue a walk. Zack Yates pitched the final two innings, striking out three and allowing one hit without giving up a run.
 
The Warriors will be back in action this weekend with a four-game series against the Cougars of Azusa Pacific (17-18, 12-7). On Friday, the teams will meet up in Azusa for a doubleheader beginning at noon. Then on Saturday, both teams will head to Montecito for another doubleheader, also starting at noon.