By Jacob Norling
February 27, 2026
 
(LA MIRADA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (10-3, 7-3 PacWest) found themselves on both ends of the spectrum on Friday in La Mirada, where the club split a doubleheader with the Biola Eagles (10-8, 6-4). After putting up more than 20 runs in game one, the Warriors had just one swing's worth of offense in an eventual game two loss.
 
In game one, Westmont pulled no punches in an eventual 24-10 victory. The Warriors mercy-ruled the Eagles after eight innings, in a game in which Westmont scored at least one run in all eight at-bats. A four-spot in the first was followed by a lone tally in the second, which preceded a five-spot in the third.
 
After scoring once in the fourth and fifth, a couple crooked numbers returned with three more coming across in the sixth and two more scoring in the seventh. That all led to a seven-run eighth inning, which allowed the Warriors to cut game one short after getting three outs in the bottom half.
 
Twenty-six hits highlighted Westmont's 24-run outburst, with not one, but two different players recording five-hit days. One of those men was Westmont's table-setter in Grant Yzermans, who did just that with a five-hit, five RBI, and five run's scored performance. The back-half of Yzermans' day included a solo shot in the sixth, and a two-run tank during Westmont's seven-run eighth.
 
Westmont's other five-hit Warrior during game one was catcher Griffin Brown, who drove in four, scored five, and finished a triple shy of the cycle. Brown was one of three Warriors who was a three-bagger shy of the cycle, in fact, with Jessie Di Maggio and Jaden Mingus also recording at least one single, double, and home run. DI Maggio's performance was part of a three-hit, three-walk day that saw the sophomore drive in four and score three times.
 
For Mingus, the third-year took full advantage of an opportunity to start at second, as he went four-for-six, with three runs driven in and three runs scored to his credit. The Eagles had their share of success on offense as well, but Josh Hickey (2-0) was credited with the win for the Warriors after working three and two-thirds innings in relief.
 
In game two, a different vibe was present after the Warriors' first eight hitters were retired. That was the case until there were two outs in the third, when Zach Mora took a two-out walk to pass the baton to Yzermans. The junior then clobbered a no-doubt two-run blast to left-center, so far that not a single of the outfielders even bothered to move. His third home run of the day gave Westmont starter Caden Beloian a 2-0 lead to work heading into the home half of the third.
 
Beloian was the best pitcher to toe the rubber on either side on Friday, as the right-hander flirted with a complete game shutout entering the last of the seventh. The day would not end with its moment of adversity, however, as Beloian's first pitch of the ninth left the yard to make it 2-1. The next batter then singled up the middle, putting the potential tying run aboard, and bringing the potential winning run to the plate.
 
Head coach Paul Svagdis had a word with his starter during a visit, but ultimately stuck with Beloian needing three more outs. The moment only grew to become tenser, as a pinch-runner swiped second on the first pitch following the mound visit. Beloian then walked the next batter he faced, putting the potential winning run aboard. Then, a balk from the junior put the tying and winning runs in scoring position, giving Westmont zero room for error.
 
Beloian induced a fly ball to right for the first out, but scoring on the sacrifice fly was the game's tying run. The next batter walked on four pitches, which then brought an end to Beloian's day. It was then Manny Soto's responsibility to try and send the game to extras, with runners at first and second and two down.
 
Then, the game came to an end in a way that the Warriors will want to soon forget. On a 1-1 pitch from Soto, both runners attempted to steal. Westmont's game two catcher, Lukas Le Gras, came up firing but let one fly well to the left of Westmont's third baseman who broke to cover the bag. The ball sailed out onto the outfield grass, and Biola's Ashton Pass kept on running home to score the winning run.
 
In the end, Westmont followed up a 24-10 win with a 3-2 loss after entering the seventh up a pair. Beloian (0-1), who was brilliant for six innings, wore the loss after the Eagles' rally in their final at-bat.
 
The two clubs will return to action on Saturday morning in Santa Barbara, where a doubleheader will begin at 11:00 a.m.