Senior pitcher Kellen Skersies gave the Warriors a complete game, but Westmont bats could not come up with any run support as the Warriors (2-10, 1-5 GSAC) lost to the unbeaten Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific (10-0, 5-0 GSAC) by a score of 2-0.
Skersies (1-2) scattered 11 hits over nine innings of work. He struck out two and walked one. Skersies has made three starts in seven appearances for the Warriors this year, posting an ERA of 3.00 in 27 innings of work. The right-hander has recorded nine strikeouts and allowed just four walks.
Starter Danny Mora (3-0) picked up the win for Fresno Pacific, allowing just four hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked two. Brian Oliver, who played most the game as the Sunbirds’ designated hitter, picked up the save by pitching the ninth inning.
Fresno Pacific’s first run came in the fourth inning when Oliver hit a ground ball to second allowing Case Rigby to score from third base. Rigby had reached earlier on a one out single and took third on a single down the right field line by Joey Norwood. Jacob Burns, the Sunbird’s first baseman, accounted for the only other run with a two-out home run to right-center field in the sixth inning.
Westmont had chances in both the eighth and ninth innings, put could not push a run across the plate. Brent Meschuk singled up the middle to lead off eighth, chasing Mora from the game. David Stout pinch hit for Taylor Grace and moved Meschuk to second base on a ground out to second. After a walk to Jordan Bottenfield, the Warriors had men on first and second with one away. But Colten Christianson struck out and Mark Boujikian grounded into a force out to retire the side.
Senior catcher Sam Wiley opened up the bottom of the ninth with his second base hit of the day. Two strikeouts later, Charles Whitman doubled down the left field line advancing Marcus Adame, who served as a courtesy runner for Wiley, to third base. But the game came to an end when Meschuk flied out to left field.
The Warriors will hit the road for a two o’clock game at Chapman on Friday and a double header at Point Loma Nazarene on Saturday.
