By Ron Smith
March 6, 2026
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Baseball claimed both ends of a doubleheader on Friday against the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific, even if it took a couple of extra innings to do so. In the early game, Westmont cruised to a 10-3 victory. The second game, however, which was scheduled for seven innings, required some heroics in both the seventh and ninth innings to claim a 6-4 win.
 
Hunter Hammond took the mound for the Warriors in the series opener and earned his second win of the season. The sophomore righthander pitched five and one-third innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Manny Soto came on in relief and picked up his second save. In three and two-third innings, he did not allow a run or a hit.
 
Fresno Pacific took the lead in the top of the third after scoring a single run. With runners at the corners, the Sunbirds attempted a double steal. Eric Willson was thrown out at second on the play, but Holden Hirschkorn scored from third to give Fresno Pacific a 1-0 lead.

Westmont answered with four runs in the bottom of the third. Jaden Mingus and Zach Mora both walked to start the inning. That turned the batting order over, bring up Grant Yzermans who singled to left, driving in Mingus and advancing Mora to third. One out later, Westmont attempted their own double steal. Yzermans reached second safely and Mora scored. That brought up Jesse Di Maggio who powered a 393-foot home run over the left field fence, giving Westmont a 4-1 lead.
 
Fresno Pacific pulled within two runs in the top of the fifth when Darryl Dilworth, Jr. hit a ground ball to third with the bases loaded. The ball hit the bag and resulted in an infield single that plated Hirschkorn.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Westmont took the run back. Like in the third inning, Westmont's first two batters – Di Maggio and Joey Rico – reached on walks. One out later, Griffin Brown singled up the middle to plate Di Maggio.
 
In the top of the sixth, Freno Pacific scored its final run when Tejean Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. That made the score 5-3.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Mora reached on a walk, then stole second. With two away, Di Maggio also walked. Rico came up and singled up the middle, driving in Mora and advancing Di Maggio to third. Rico took third on the throw from center field. Isaac Veal batted next and doubled to left-center field to push both Di Maggio and Rico across the plate.
 
Westmont's final two runs came in the bottom of the seventh. A lead-off single by Tanner Beltowski started things off. After Beltowski was replaced by pinch runner Orion Medeiros, Mingus was hit by a pitch. Mora reached on a fielder's choice that saw Medeiros thrown out at third for the first out of the inning. A walk by Yzermans loaded the bases and brought up Rolen Reyes. Reyes drove a sacrifice fly into right field, allowing Mingus to score from third and Mora to take third. Di Maggio then picked up another RBI with a single through the left side.
 
The second game proved to be more dramatic. A sacrifice fly by the Sunbird's Vincent Robinson in the top of the third gave Fresno Pacific a 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Jarrett Kozma tied the game with a solo blast to left field. The ball traveled 352 feet and left the bat at 96 miles an hour. It was his second hit of the game. The first was a double that hit off the fence in left-center field.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, however, the Sunbirds scored three times to take a 4-1 lead. Chris Clement received a lead-off walk before Hirschkorn hit the ball into right center field. Clement headed to third as Hirschkorn attempted to stretch his single into a double. However, Veal threw to second and Mora tagged Hirschkorn out before he could acquire second base.
 
With two outs and Clement still at third, Robinson reached when he was hit by a pitch. That brought up Dilworth who delivered a two-RBI double to right center. Gabe Henderson then singled to center, driving in Dilworth.
 
Westmont cut into the Fresno Pacific lead in the bottom of the second, making it a 4-3 game. After a lead-off single by Mora down the left field line, Yzermans doubled to left center allowing Mora to score. The Warriors' left fielder then reached third on a failed pick-off attempt. One out later, Di Maggio singled through the left side to plate Yzermans.
 
Westmont still trailed in the bottom of the seventh and was running out of at bats. Reyes walked and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. But with two away, the Warriors were down to their last out. Noah Williams made his Warrior debut, pinch running at second as Veal stepped to the plate.
 
The count went to 3-2 on Veal, and the Warriors were down to their last strike. However, Veal got a pitch he could hit and singled to left field, driving in Williams and tying the score at four. That sent the game into extra innings.
 
Westmont had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the eighth. With Deep Chohan at second, Mora hit a single to left field. Chohan got the go sign as he rounded third but was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the inning.
 
After a one-two-three top of the ninth by the Sunbirds, Westmont came up to bat. With one away, Braydon Griffin reached on a throwing error by Fresno Pacific's shortstop. Next up was Di Maggio.
 
Di Maggio took a ball, then swung and missed to make it a 1-1 count. On the next pitch, he ripped a ball down the left field line that landed just foul, making the count 1-2. Back in the box, Di Maggio set the next pitch to the opposite field. The ball left his bat at 105 mph and travelled 359 feet, clanging off the scoreboard and back on the field.
 
At first, it appeared the ball was in play and Griffin rounded third headed for home. However, before he could reach the plate, the umpires were circling their fingers in the air, indicating that Di Maggio's ball had cleared the fence for a walk-off home run - his second home run of the day.
 
Josh Hickey, who pitched the final three innings of the game, was awarded his third win of the season. He gave up two hits, but did not allow a run. Hickey struck out four without surrendering a walk.
 
Caden Beloian started the game for the Warriors, pitching six innings, He allowed four runs on six hits.
 
The Warriors and Sunbirds will conclude their four game series on Saturday with another doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 11:00 a.m.