By Ron Smith
March 25, 2026
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Back home in the familiar confines of Russ Carr Field, Westmont Baseball (19-5, 16-5 PacWest) won both ends of a doubleheader with Hawai'i Hilo on Wednesday. The Warriors posted a 13-5 win in the early game, then took the second game 6-4.
 
"We got some strong pitching today out of the bullpen," pointed out Westmont's head coach Paul Svagdis. "Manny Soto, KJ Rieden and Brandon Tatch all did a great job keeping us in the game and giving us a chance to get going at the plate.
 
"I thought our hitters did a nice job competing through our 16 innings of baseball."
 
After giving up one run in the top of the first in the front end of the twin bill, Westmont responded with four in the bottom half of the opening frame. A lead-off walk to Grant Yzermans was followed by a walk to Joey Rico. Jessie Di Maggio then doubled off the left field fence, driving in Yzermans to tie the game as Rico advanced to third.
 
That brought up Tanner Beltowski who stepped to the plate and delivered a 2-1 pitch 368 feet over the fence in right-center field for a three-run home run.
 
The Vulcans took two runs back in the top of the second to make it a 4-3 game, and the score remained the same until the fifth inning when a sacrifice fly by Hilo's Austin Hays tied the game at four runs apiece. It did not stay tied for long.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, the Warriors made the most of the top of the lineup coming up to bat. Yzermans singled to left, then stole second. Rico grounded out to second, allowing Yzermans to reach third. A single by Di Maggio up the middle plated Yzermans and gave Westmont a 5-4 advantage.
 
Beltowski doubled to left field, pushing Di Maggio to third. Then Noah Williams walked to load the bases with no outs. Zach Mora drove in two runs with a single to center field, chasing Hilo starter Moosa Nonomiya from the game. With Devin Hayashi on the mound, Mora stole second base. When the catcher's throw went to second, Williams broke for home, completing the double steal. That gave the Warriors an 8-4 lead.
 
The Vulcans scored their final run of the game in the top of the seventh on an RBI-single to right by Kaiden Sonoda-Fukumoto. Westmont answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the seventh when Williams scored on a passed ball. Williams had reached on a lead-off double to left and then stole third to be in position to score on the catcher's miscue.
 
For good measure, Westmont added four more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Again, Yzermans led off, reaching on a single to left. Joey Rico, then, sent a 375-foot blast over the right field fence that left his bat at 108 mph. Later in the inning, Isaac Veal hit a two-RBI single to left with the bases loaded, driving in Williams and Beltowski.
 
Soto, who came out of the pen to pitch the second through fifth innings, was credited with the win. He allowed one run on five hits, struck out three and walked two to record his first collegiate win. Rieden picked up his first collegiate save by pitching the final four innings. He allowed one run on three hits, struck out two and walked one.
 
Freshman Matt Vazquez took the mound for the Warriors to start off the second game and earned his third win of the season against one loss. Vazquez pitched five innings, allowing four runs – two earned – on eight hits.
 
Tatch pitched the last two innings of the seven-inning game to collect his third save of the season. The sophomore, who did not allow a run, gave up one hit and struck out one batter.
 
Westmont scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. With Rico and Beltowski on first and second, courtesy of walks, Williams singled through the left side to bring Rico home.
 
Then in the second, the Warriors produced five runs to go up 6-1. With one away, Mora walked on four pitches. Veal then singled through the left side, sending Mora to second. Yzermans drove in Mora with a double to right, putting the Warriors up 2-1.
 
Rico collected two RBIs when he singled through the left side. That brought up Di Maggio whose swing on a 1-1 pitch that left his bat at 104.6 mph and traveled 405 feet for his team-leading seventh home run of the season.
 
Westmont did not score again. However, their lead held up through a three-run top of the fifth by the Vulcans that accounted for the final score.
 
Over the two games, Yzermans went four for eight with a double, four runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Di Maggio was three for seven with a home run, a double, three runs scored, and four RBIs.
 
Hilo produced 20 hits on the day to Westmont's 19. However, the Warriors' tally included seven extra base hits to the Vulcan's two.
 
"Hilo is a very sound team, fundamentally, and produced really tough at bats one through nine," said Svagdis. "We will have our work cut out for us tomorrow."
 
The Warriors and Vulcans conclude their four-game series tomorrow when they meet up at Russ Carr Field at 11:00 a.m. for another doubleheader.