By Ron Smith
March 1, 2025
 
(FRESNO, Calif.) The Warriors produced a come-from-behind rally in the first game and a dominant offensive performance in the second as #8 Westmont Baseball (17-2, 12-0 PacWest) completed a four-game sweep of Fresno Pacific by winning both games in today's doubleheader. Westmont won the first game by a score of 6-2 and the second 12-6.
 
The pitching story for today started yesterday when head coach Paul Svagdis decided to move Caden Beloian into the starter role for the second game of the series. Beloian was taking the place of the injured Hunter Hammond. Beloian went five innings and picked up the win.
 
"Caden did a nice job," expressed Svagdis. "He has been pitching well out of the bullpen. It is a hard decision when you have a guy that is winning games in that role. We made the decision to make him the starter. He has pitched in competitive games and we thought that in a seven-inning game, if he could give us four to five good innings, we would have a chance. He certainly did that."
 
By pitching Beloian yesterday, Svagdis had Joey Rico and Ryan Humphreys available to start today's games. The pair ate up 11 of the scheduled 16 innings.
 
In the first game, Rico went five innings for the Warriors allowing two runs on four hits. The sophomore right-hander struck out two and walked two.
 
"Ryan was struggling throwing his fastball for strikes," said Svagdis. "A lot of our guys were. Sometimes pitching mounds have different slopes. We struggled locating our fast ball, but he competed well despite that. He had his changeup going well and pitched with that pitch most of the day and kept opposing hitters off balance."
 
Fresno Pacific scored first. A lead-off walk to Gabe Henderson turned into a run after a stolen base, a wild pitch and a ground-out.
 
Westmont answered in the top of the second, tying the game at one run apiece. With one away, Isaac Veal doubled. Then with two outs, Veal scored when Shane Hofstadler doubled to center.
 
The score remained tied until the bottom of the fifth when Chris Clement singled to right to drive in Jordan Smith from second. Smith had reached with a single to right and advanced to second when Henderson was hit by a pitch.
 
The Warriors were down to just three outs, still trailing by a run when Veal led off the top of the ninth. Westmont's right fielder was hit by the first pitch he saw, putting the potential tying run on base. After Veal stole second, he advanced to third on a wild pitch, making the tying run 90 feet away.
 
At bat was Jesse Di Maggio who returned a 1-2 count 389 feet over the left-field fence for a two-run home run and a 3-2 Warrior lead. It was Di Maggio's fifth home run of the year.
 
One out later, Colin Callahan singled up the middle, which forced Sunbird starter Connor Semone from the game in favor of right-hander Evan Fanconi.
 
With a new pitcher in place, Daniel Patterson singled to right, then Michael Soper walked, loading the bases with one away. Next, Bryce McFeely hit a scorching ground ball to short for an infield single, driving in Callahan and leaving all bases occupied with Warriors.
 
A deep sacrifice fly to right by Dunn, not only drove in Patterson, but also moved Soper to third and McFeely to second. Jack Bollengier, the ninth man to bat in the inning, singled up the middle to bring home Soper and give Westmont a 6-2 lead.
 
Josh Hickey, who had entered the game in the sixth inning, returned to the mound and pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the victory. Hickey was credited with the win, his third of the year against no losses. He did not allow a run or a hit, struck out three and walked three.
 
"That is usually our combo – Rico and Hickey," observed Svagdis. "We were lined up to go with that and Josh did a great job."
 
Ryan Humphreys started the final game of the four-game series and earned his third win of the year.
 
"It was a yeoman's effort," described Svagdis. "He started out slow, not as well as he has been doing. We got him some runs and were able to rely on our offense early. He settled down and gave us six innings. Being down a pitcher, that was huge.
 
"I was proud of him. He is a senior that has been on the hill and pitched in competitive games. He understood the situation."
 
Before Humphreys took the mound, his teammates had given him a 4-0 lead to work with. Patterson started off the contest with a solo home run to left center.
 
Soper followed Patterson with a walk, then scored when McFeely doubled into deep right center field. Two outs later, Grant Yzermans hit the second home run of the inning, going deep to center field for a two-run blast that put the Warriors on top 4-0.
 
Fresno Pacific took back two runs in the bottom half of the opening frame with Mallonnee scoring from third on a wild pitch and Aaron Martinez scoring on an RBI-single by Teejan Smith.
 
Westmont added to their lead in the top of the second. After Callahan and Patterson were issued back-to-back walks, Soper sent a two-RBI double down the left field line. Soper stole third before McFeely was walked, as was Dunn. An RBI-ground ball by Bollengier to second ended up scoring two. Dunn was thrown out at second, as Soper scored. However, the relay attempt for a double play went awry and McFeely was also able to score from second on the play. That gave the Warriors an 8-2 advantage after an inning and one-half.
 
The Sunbirds also put some runs on the board in the second inning. After Ethan Tsui was hit by a pitch, Garrett Perkins homered to left field to make the score 8-4.
 
With two outs in the top of the third, Patterson went yard again over the left-center field fence, making the Warrior lead 9-4. It was his sixth home run of the year.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Jacob Solorio pulled the Sunbirds within four runs with a solo shot to right field. However, Westmont put up three runs in the top of the seventh on a three-run blast by McFeely – also his sixth of the year. McFeely drove in Patterson, who had doubled with one away, and Soper, who had walked.
 
Patterson, Soper and McFeely – the first three batters in the Warriors' lineup – went eight for 10 in the game with three home runs, three doubles, six RBIs and five walks between them.
 
"It started with Daniel Patterson, a senior captain, incredible player and wonderful leader," said Svagdis. "I was really happy for him because he has been grinding through some at bats. He has still been leading through all that, which can be hard with the pressure and expectations. I was happy that he could feel like he put the offense on his back today.
 
"Soper has been swinging well consistently all year. He is a very tough out and very smart. He will bunt if we ask him to and he runs the bases well.
 
"Bryce is an incredible young man that has been working hard to get better at the plate. Usually, when guys are working hard and not getting the results, it can be easy to pack it in. He hasn't. It is fun for him to get some results too."
 
Fresno Pacific added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little, too late for the Sunbirds to prevent the Warrior sweep.
 
With the win, Westmont ran its winning streak to 16 games, one game shy of the program record set in 2022 and matched in 2023. The Warriors will have a chance to surpass that record next weekend when they host #14 Point Loma (14-4, 10-2) in a four game series. The Sea Lions, who were the Division II national runners-up last season, are currently second in the PacWest, two games behind the Warriors.
 
"They are the big dog on the block. We understand that," said Svagdis. "We are all looking forward to playing them. It's a good group that likes to play competitively together. We know they are going to be a super challenge. They pitch great. They have great coaching with Justin James and it looks like they are swinging the bat really well. We know it is going to be a big test for us, so we are looking forward to it."
 
The Warriors and Sea Lions will play doubleheaders on both Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8. First pitch is at 11:00 a.m. both days.