Westmont lost its Golden State Athletic Conference baseball opener to Arizona Christian, as the Firestorm rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the bottom of the 10th inning to win 4-3.
Russell Harmening started on the mound for the Warriors and gave up just one run on four hits in seven and two-third innings. He struck out six and did not surrender a walk.
However, the Warriors were unable to put runs on the board until the top of the ninth inning. Firestorm starting left-hander Tommy Lay pitched the first eight scoreless innings, giving up four hits and striking out 12 with one walk.
Neither starter would figure in the decision.
In the bottom of the eighth, Arizona Christian scored on a RBI single by Tata Erickson that drove in Matthew Mara from second base. Mara had previously reached on a single and advanced to second on a ground out by Kyle Robbins.
Down to their final three outs, Westmont rallied in the top of the ninth to score a single run and extend the game. Alex Bush doubled to lead off the inning and then reached third on a fly out to right field by Will Barring. Blake Mathias hit a fly ball to shallow centerfield, but Bush broke for the plate and beat the tag to tie the game.
Taylor Martin, who had relieved Harmening in the bottom of the eighth, held the Firestorm scoreless in the bottom of the ninth. Martin pitched an inning and one-third in which he did not allow a run or a hit. He struck out three and walked one.
In the top of the tenth, the Warriors took their first lead of the game. Graylin Derke started things off for the Warriors with a walk. After pinch hitter Michael Frigon struck out, Derke advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Catcher Robert Mendez joined Derke on the base pads with a walk. Andrew Devian took over for Mendez as a courtesy runner at first as the Firestorm replaced Wade Mason on the mound with Joshua Garcia.
That’s when left-fielder Steven Pollex stepped to the plate and delivered a double that drove in Derke and allowed Devian to take third base. Shortstop Rudy Leon then drove a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing in Devian and making the score 3-1 in the top of the 10th.
However, things fell apart for the Warriors in the bottom of the 10th. Michael Rishwain was called upon to close out the game for the Warriors and coaxed Mara into leading off with a swinging strike out. Back-to-back singles, however gave the Firestorm runners at first and second with one away. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base. Two pitches later, a passed ball allowed Z. Vogel to score and AJ Arroyo to take third, making the score 3-2. After Christopher Burks walked, Jake Wakamatsu singled, scoring Arroyo as the tying run and sending Burks to third.
After an intentional walk to Tanner Stokey to load the bases, the Warriors hoped to get Anthony Balderama to hit into an inning-ending double play. The Warriors got the ground ball they wanted but it was deep in the hole between third and short. Leon fielded it cleanly and threw off-balance to second to retire Stokey. The relay was successfully fired to first, but it was not in time to get Balderama hustling up the baseline.
Rishwain (1-1) was charged with the loss after giving up three runs on three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning of work. Garcia earned the win allowing no runs on one hit in two-thirds innings.
