By Ron Smith
March 21, 2026
 
(HONOLULU) This trip to Hawai'i was not easy, but Westmont Baseball (17-5, 14-5 PacWest) capped it off with a doubleheader sweep of Chaminade (7-22, 5-18). The Warriors rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the first game to post a 7-4 win in extra innings. Then in the second game, the Warriors shut out the Silverswords 3-0.
 
Heavy rains on Oahu over the last week prevented the playing of five of the eight games the Warriors had scheduled. So, playing two games on the final day at Les Murikami Stadium on the campus of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa helped to salvage the trip.
 
"I was really proud of everyone on the trip," said Westmont's head coach Paul Svagdis. "We've had tough circumstances with the weather and multiple delays over the last five days. The players and staff handled all of it like champs."
 
Both of Saturday's games were intended for seven innings. After an hour's delay, the first game started just before noon local time.
 
The Warriors found themselves trailing 4-0 after the first four innings of play. Then, with two outs in the top of the sixth, Jessie Di Maggio hit a single up the middle that was the beginning of a four-run sixth. A full-count double to right-center by Tanner Beltowski drove in Di Maggio for the Warriors' first run. That brought up Isaac Veal who pounded a two-run blast over the left field fence, making the score 4-3.
 
Noah Williams then stepped to the plate and delivered his first hit as a Warriors – a double to left-center field. Then Griffin Brown tied the game with an RBI-double down the left-field line.
 
Neither team scored in the seventh innings, sending the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Di Maggio produced a lead-off double to center field. Jack Zerkel was asked to pinch run for Di Maggio and the freshman promptly stole third.
 
After a walk to Beltowski put runners on the corners, Veal singled to left center, driving in Zerkel and advancing Beltowski to second. A sacrifice bunt by Williams advanced Veal and Beltowski to second and third respectively. Next, Brown hit a sacrifice fly, fouling out to right field. Not only did Beltowski cross the plate, but Veal took third, then scored on a throwing error by the right fielder.
 
That gave Westmont a 7-4 lead headed into the bottom of the eighth. Josh Hickey returned to the mound for his third inning of work and kept Chaminade off the board to secure the win. Hickey, who improved to 3-0 on the year, pitched three scoreless innings, allowing three hits.
 
Caden Beloian started the game for the Warriors and provided four innings of work. Beloian gave up four runs on four hits and struck out six. KJ Rieden pitched a scoreless fifth inning for the Warriors, allowing two hits.
 
The second game of the twin bill saw Joey Rico take the mound for the Warriors. Rico pitched six scoreless innings to earn his third win of the season against one loss. Rico gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked just one. Brandon Tatch pitched the final inning, retiring the side in order to collect his second save of the year.

"We got solid pitching, highlighted by Joey Rico's six innings of shutout baseball," offered Svagdis.
 
Westmont scored its first run in the top of the third. After a lead-off walk by Brown, Yzerman's ground out to third, moving Brown to second. When Williams singled up the middle, Brown scored.
 
The second run came in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run by Di Maggio to left center-field - his sixth home run of the year.
 
The Warriors added a third run in the top of the seventh. With one away, Williams doubled to right field, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Di Maggio then hit a single through the left side, plating Williams. Zerkel pinch ran for Di Maggio, stole second and then stole third.
 
"Our bench was terrific," noted Svagdis, "including a couple of huge stolen bases by Zerkel. He has done a tremendous job this season maturing as an athlete."
 
Referring back to the Warriors 15-6 win on Wednesday, Svagdis recalled, "A highlight of the weekend was seeing Orion Medeiros, one of our best leaders, come off the bench and bang a double in Les Murikami Stadium where his dad was a Rainbow Warrior and played for Coach Murikami."
                                                                                                                                                             
The Warriors return home for a four-game series with the Vulcans of Hawai'i Hilo (10-16, 9-13) on Wednesday and Thursday, March 25-26. Doubleheaders are planned for each day, beginning at 11:00 a.m. No rain is in the forecast.