Senior right fielder Taylor Grace hit a two-RBI double to right center in the top of the fifth inning to give Westmont baseball (1-7, 0-3 GSAC) a 2-0 lead, but the #16 Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (4-0, 2-0 GSAC) scored one in the sixth, one in the seventh and one in the eighth to claim a 3-2 victory on Wednesday in Fresno.
Senior right-hander Drew Dowl started on the mound for the Warriors and pitched six and two-third innings. Dowl gave up two runs on five hits. He struck out seven while allowing just two walks.
Third baseman Jordan Bottenfield led off the top of the fifth inning for the Warriors with a single to center field. One out later, second baseman Mike Zettl singled to left, advancing Bottenfield to third. Zettl took second on a ground out to third, brining up Grace with two outs and men on second and third. In 10 at bats this season, Grace leads the Warriors with five RBIs and a .600 slugging percentage.
Fresno Pacific’s Karlan Andrews led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single down the left field line. Two ground balls to third later, Andrews was standing on third base with two away. Left fielder Justin Kenney provided the Sunbirds their first run of the game with an RBI-single to center field.
With one in, two outs and runners on second and third for the Sunbirds in the bottom of the seventh, Dowl was replaced on the mound by right-hander Kellen Skersies. The senior coaxed catcher Josh Jackson into an inning-ending popup to first base to limit the damage, but the game was now tied at two going into the top of the eighth.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Keeney led off the inning with a double to center field. But Keeney was thrown out at third when designated hitter Brian Oliver hit a ground ball to short and Westmont shortstop Todd Morris rifled the ball to Bottenfield. That brought up Sunbird right fielder Anthony Lowell whose triple to right center drove in the winning run.
Skersies was assigned the loss after pitching two-thirds of an inning and giving up one run on two hits. Kelyn Schellenberg was awarded the win for the Sunbirds.
Westmont returns to action on Friday when they host Avila (Mo.) at Russ Carr Field in a doubleheader. First pitch is schedule for noon.
