Westmont College Athletics

By Ron Smith
April 3, 2026
 
(IRVINE, Calif.) Westmont Baseball (21-7, 18-7 PacWest) traveled to Irvine for a four-game series between the second and third place teams in the PacWest Standings. The Warriors entered the series with a two and one-half game lead over the Golden Eagles of Concordia (20-18, 18-12). With a doubleheader split on Friday, the teams remain separated by two and one-half games.
 
Concordia won the first game 11-2, but Westmont prevailed 7-6 in game two.
 
In the opener, Westmont jumped out to a 2-0 in the first inning. Grant Yzermans worked a lead-off walk, but was retired at second on a fielder's choice by Joey Rico. A single through the left side by Jessie Di Maggio advanced Rico to second before Tanner Beltowski walked to load the bases.
 
A passed ball allowed Rico to score the Warriors' first run while moving Di Maggio to third and Beltowski to second. Then, Noah Williams picked up an RBI with a ground out to right, giving Westmont a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately, those would be the last runs the Warriors would score in the first game.

Concordia threatened in the bottom of the second when Sawyer Voortman led off with a single to left. That brought up Isaiah Walz. On a 3-1 pitch, Westmont third baseman Rolen Reyes was playing on the edge of the grass, anticipating a bunt. Instead, Concordia attempted a hit and run. Voortman broke for second while Walz smashed a shot down the left field line. However, Reyes took one step to his right and snagged the sharply hit ball for the first out, He then trotted toward the mound and casually tossed the ball to first to complete the lineout double play.
 
In the bottom of the third, Concordia pushed across seven runs, one on an RBI-single by Wyatt Madison and two on a bases-loaded, RBI-single by Nicolas Erickson. A fourth run scored when David Baruch walked with the bases loaded. Three more runs scored on a double to left center by Ian Stewart.
 
Stewart also drove in two runs in the bottom of the fifth when he singled to left with the bases loaded. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Stewart struck again with a two-run home run down the left field line, accounting for the final score.
 
Hunter Hammond suffered the loss, giving up six runs on five hits in two and 2/3 innings of work.
 
The second game started with Yzermans reaching on an error by the Golden's Eagles shortstop, then taking second on a walk by Rico. On the second pitch to Di Maggio, the Warriors' home run leader deposited his eighth blast of the year over the left field fence, giving Westmont a 3-0 lead.
 
Westmont added to their advantage in the second inning after Isaac Veal led off with a double to left center. Reyes made it back-to-back two-baggers with a shot down the left field line that scored Veal from second. Reyes advanced to third on a on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Mora, then scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Yzermans. That put the Warriors up 5-0.
 
In the top of the third, Williams singled through the right side to get things started again for the Warriors. When Beltowski doubled down the left field line, Williams advanced to third. One out later, Veal walked to load the bases. An infield single by Reyes drove Williams in and extended the Warriors advantage to six runs.
 
Concordia closed the gap to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring the first run on an RBI by Madison that scored Voortman, and the second on a groundout by Dylan Knowles that plated Walz.
 
The Golden Eagles scored twice more in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-groundout by Stewart to score Landry Spitler and an error that allowed Cole Quillin to score. That made it 6-4.
 
In the top of the fifth of the seven inning game, Westmont added an insurance run that proved to be very much needed. After Beltowski walked, Veal hit an RBI-double down the left field line, resulting in a 7-4 score.
 
The margin narrowed to 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth when Spitler scored from third on a wild pitch. That sent the game into the bottom of the seventh. With one away, Erickson was hit by a pitch. A single by Nolan Caira to center advanced Erickson to second. A wild pitch allowed Erickson to take third. That gave the Golden Eagles runners on the corners with one away. A sacrifice fly by Spitler to right field brought home Erickson and made it just a one-run game.
 
The drama ended, however, when Brandon Tatch, who had entered at the beginning of the inning, struck out Quillin on four pitches, securing his fifth save of the year and the win for the Warriors. Tatch allowed one run on one hit, struck out two and did not allow a walk.
 
Starter Caden Beloin was credited with the win after pitching five innings. He gave up four runs on six hits, struck out one and walked one. Josh Hicks pitched the sixth inning for Westmont, giving up on run on three hits.
 
The two teams meet again on Saturday for another doubleheader at Golden Eagles Field. First pitch is scheduled for one o'clock.