By Ron Smith
April 19, 2025
 
(ATHERTON, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (34-10, 29-8 PacWest), ranked fifth in Division II, split a doubleheader with Menlo on Saturday (8-34, 6-30). The Warriors won the first game 14-3, but fell 3-1 in the nightcap.
 
The opener was scheduled for nine innings, but at the end of seven, Westmont held an 11-run lead, which called the mercy rule into effect and ended the game with a Warrior victory.
 
Trey Dunn recorded the game's first hit and first run on a solo home run to left field in the second inning. It was his tenth of the season, tying him with Bryce McFeely for the team lead.

The Warriors would score four more times before the inning came to an end. Jack Bollengier hit a one-out single up the middle. Then, with two outs, Shane Hofstadler reached on a dropped third strike. Zach Mora singled to left, driving in Bollengier. Hofstadler and More each advanced on the throw, giving the Warriors men on second and third with two away. That brought up Grant Yzermans who hit a three-run blast over the left-center field fence and into the trees. His fourth home run of the year gave Westmont a 5-0 advantage.
 
The Oaks scored once in the bottom of the second on an RBI-double by Ramone Valenzuel that drove in Matt Morrision.
 
In the top of the third, Westmont scored four more times to take a 9-1 lead. After McFeely singled through the right side to start off the inning, Dunn hit his second home run of the game, claiming the team lead in long balls at 11. Bollengier followed with a single through the left side. Then, Beltowski hit a ground ball to third, but the throw to retire Bollengier at second went awry and both runners were safe.
 
That brought up Hofstadler who singled down the left field line, driving in Bollengier and moving Beltowski to third. One out later, Yzermans hit a sacrifice fly to center field to conclude the Warriors' scoring in the inning.
 
Westmont added to its lead in the top of the fourth, starting with a lead-off home run to left by Daniel Patterson - his 10th of the season. The Warriors loaded the bases following the home run with a walk to McFeely, single to left by Dun and an infield single by Bollengier. That brought up Beltowski who earned an RBI the hard way when he was hit by a pitch. One out later, Mora drove in Dunn with a sacrifice fly to center, resulting in a score 12-1 in favor of the Warriors.
 
The fifth and sixth inning saw the Warriors add a run in each. In the fifth, Patterson scored on an error. Then in the sixth, Hofstadler scored on a sacrifice fly by Soper that drove in Hofstadler. The Warriors catcher had reached on a single up the middle.
 
A lead-off home run by Chase Hilde gave the Oaks their second run of the game. After two more Menlo batters reached, Kade Fujioka was called on with two away to relieve starter Joey Rico. Fujioka retired the next batter on one pitch.
 
Rico, who improved his record to 3-2, allowed two runs on six hits in five and two-third innings of work. Rico struck out seven and allowed two walks.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Oaks loaded the bases with one out, then scored a run when Hilde was hit by a pitch. Brandon Tatch was summoned from the bullpen to put an end to the threat and promptly struck out the final two batters, securing the Warrior win.
 
In the second game, scoring proved to be scarce for the Warriors. The only run Westmont scored was on a solo home run by Bollengier in the top of the second inning.
 
The resulting 1-0 lead held up until the bottom of the fourth when Menlo's Zach Dyer hit an RBI-single that drove in Samuel Brewer and tied the game at one run apiece.
 
The stalemate was broken in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off, two-run home run by Carter Harris.
 
Hunter Hammond started the game for the Warriors, pitching three and two-third innings. He allowed one run on six hits, struck out one and walked one.
 
Next Friday and Saturday, the Warriors will take on the Lions of Vanguard (27-19, 23-17) in a four-game series. Friday's games will be played at Russ Carr Field as the final home games of the regular season. The Warriors will honor 16 players as part of the 2025 Senior Day ceremony.