By Ron Smith
March 15, 2025
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Two pitchers tied Westmont career records as the Warriors (22-3, 17-1 PacWest) swept Azusa Pacific (11-13, 9-9) in a doubleheader at Russ Carr Field. Westmont, ranked fifth in Division II, won the first game 9-5 and the second 11-2.
 
Veteran starter Bryan Peck picked up the win in the first game, tying a program record with his 29th career victory. Peck matched Daniel Butler who played for the Warriors from 2014 through 2017. Peck now has a career mark of 29-6.
 
"It means a lot," said Peck about the accomplishment. "I have been working a while for it. It is Daniel Butler that I tied. I have heard a lot of great things about him. I know he was really successful here. To be able to throw my name next to his is pretty cool."
 
The four-year starter improved to 3-0 on the season by pitching six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. Peck struck out seven and walked one.
 
"It felt good today," said Peck about his outing. "I was able to hit my spots pretty well. I got a little loose in the sixth and started missing and I paid for it. Luckly, guys came in behind me and shut the door and our offense put up some more runs."
 
Asked how he felt about the 2025 Warrior team, Peck replied, "I love them. They are my best friends, basically family, and I love them all to death. It is a really good thing we have going on right now and I just look for us to continue the success we have had."
 
Peck, who is one of only six pitchers in Westmont history to pitch over 300 innings, ranks second in career strikeouts with 290. He needs just 17 more to tie John Thomas (1964-66).
 
In the same game, Zach Yates earned the 18th save of his career, tying Tony Tubbs who tallied the record of 18 career saves during the 1987 and 1988 seasons. Yates pitched two and two-third scoreless innings for the save. He allowed just one walk and struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced.
 
"No way. I had no clue," responded Yates when told of his accomplishment. "As a bullpen guy, you don't qualify for a lot of the records. It feels cool to actually have one now. It means a lot to be a part of Westmont baseball and have my name on a record."
 
The Warriors took the lead on a two-run home run by Bryce McFeely in the bottom of the first. McFeely's blast to left field traveled 389 feet and drove in Grant Yzermans. The Warriors lead-off man had reached base on a single up the middle.
 
In the bottom of the third, Trey Dunn got hold of a 3-2, two-out pitch, for a three-run blast to left to give the Warriors a 5-0 lead. His 365-foot home run drove in McFeely and Jack Bollengier. McFeely had produced a two-out single and Bollengier was walked in advance of Dunn's at bat.
 
Azusa Pacific scored three runs in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch that allowed Jacob Hayes to score from third, and on a two-run home run by Elijah Cook.
 
In the bottom half of the sixth, Shane Hofstadler picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly to right field. Dunn, who had walked to lead off the inning, scored from third on the play. That made the score 6-3 in favor of Westmont headed into the seventh inning.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Cougars pulled to within one run. Azusa scored on an RBI-single by Hayes that drove in Allan Camarillo. Azusa Pacific was still threatening with one away and the bases loaded when Yates was called in from the bullpen.
 
Yates struck out Cook for the second out, then coaxed Elijah Morgan into a ground ball that looked like it would retire the side. However, an error allowed a run to score and kept the bases full of Cougars. Undeterred, Yates struck out Jacob Freer to end the threat and preserve a one-run Warrior lead (6-5).
 
Asked about his extended outing, Yates replied, "Usually in the seventh, I will head down to the bullpen in a close game. I have all the confidence in the world in our guys, but if they struggle and I get the call, it is time to get going. You get thrown into a lot of weird situations as a bullpen guy. I am just always ready for whatever the situation might be."
 
Westmont wasted no time reestablishing itself, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh. The first came when McFeely drove in Michael Soper from second with a single to right. After Bollengier was hit by a pitch, Dunn recorded an infield single to load the bases. That brought up Jesse Di Maggio who singled to left center, driving in both McFeely and Bollengier to send the Warriors to the eighth with a 9-5 advantage.
 
Now with a four-run lead, Yates was asked to return to the mound for the eighth inning.
 
"I felt good the whole time. I told (Warriors' pitching coach Rick Hubbard) after the seventh inning that I was good and could keep going. I hung in there and trusted our guys behind me."
 
Yates walked the first batter he saw, then struck out the next three. Then in the top of the ninth, Yates struck out the lead-off hitter for his fourth strikeout in a row. The next batter was retired on a pop-up to the shortstop before Yates gave up the only hit he would allow – a single to left by Cook. Then, Yates struck out Morgan on a 2-2 count to end the game and secure the win.
 
McFeely was three for three in the game with three runs scored, three RBIs and a walk. Dunn was two for two with two runs, three RBIs and two walks.
 
Ryan Humphreys started the second game for the Warriors, and earned his fifth win of the season without a loss. Humphreys pitched six of the game's seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out seven would-be hitters.
 
Humphreys has been setting records of his own. In 170 1/3 career innings, Humphrey is averaging 12.52 strikeouts per nine-inning game, which is best in the Warrior record books by far. The previous record holder, Cory Dawson (2017-20), averaged 9.31 per game.
 
Joey Rico pitched the final inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
 
Westmont scored in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. After Yzermans walked, Soper singled to right center, advancing Yzermans to second. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance a base. McFeely picked up his fourth RBI of the day with a groundout to third.
 
The Warriors added two more in the bottom of the third to go up 3-0. With one away, Yzermans singled to left field. When Soper singled to right, Yzermans took second. Daniel Patterson then reached on an error to load the bases with one away.
 
McFeely earned his fifth RBI of the day when he was walked on four pitches. That brought up Bollengier who grounded to second base. McFeely was retired at second, but Bollengier beat out the relay from the shortstop and was safe at first, allowing Soper to score from third.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Zach Mora, experienced several firsts. Playing in his first collegiate game and starting at shortstop for the Warriors, Mora singled to left for his first collegiate hit. When the left-fielder fell after retrieving the ball, Mora alertly reached second on the error. Yzermans came up to the plate and doubled down the left-field line, allowing Mora to score his first collegiate run and make the score 4-0.
 
In the top of the fifth, Cook produced his second home run of the game, sending a two-run blast to center field that cut the lead in half (4-2).
 
However, the game came apart for the Cougars in the bottom of the fifth. McFeely led off and doubled to right center. Bollengier then reached on an error with McFeely taking third on the play. After Bollengier stole second, Dunn was walked, giving Westmont the bases loaded with no outs.
 
A passed ball while Di Maggio was batting allowed McFeely to score while Bollengier and Dunn moved up a station. Di Maggio then belted a two-RBI double into right center, making the score 7-2.
 
After Tyler McEvoy and Mora were walked, Yzermans drove in Di Maggio with a sacrifice fly to right. McEvoy advanced to third on the play. Soper then walked, and the bases were once again juiced.
 
Patterson drove in a run with a ground ball to second. Soper was thrown out on the play, but the Cougars were unsuccessful in the double play attempt. After Patterson advanced on a wild pitch, McFeely returned for his second at bat of the inning and walked, reloading the bases. A single by Bollengier drove in both Mora and Patterson and gave Westmont an 11-2 lead.
 
After Humphreys pitched a scoreless sixth, Rico was asked to take the mound and close out the game. Rico struck out the first two batters he faced, then persuaded Hayes to fly out to right for the final out of the game.
 
Yzermans was two for two in the game with two runs scored, two RBIs and a walk. Soper was also two for two. He walked twice and scored a run. McFeely went 1 for 2 with a run scored, an RBI and two walks.
 
In game two, Warrior batters were walked eight times while only one Cougar reached via a base on balls.
 
The Warriors will next face Concordia in a four-game homestand on Friday and Saturday, March 21-22. Doubleheaders on both days will begin at 2:00 p.m.