Colten Christianson hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to help Westmont Baseball take the first of two games against #20 Fresno Pacific on Friday afternoon at Russ Carr Field. The Warriors won by a score of 10-4. The Sunbirds, however, responded with at 15-3 victory in the seven-inning second game. Both games were part of a rain make-up from February 27.
During the opening seven innings of the first game, the Warriors pounded out 14 hits but produced only three runs and found themselves trailing 4-3 going into the eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, however, the Warriors produced seven runs.
“The guys stayed with the hitting plan even though we put ourselves in some tough situation when we hit into some double plays and didn’t get runs across,” said Westmont Head Coach Robert Ruiz. “It’s funny the way the run production turned out. We couldn’t get runs across early but we score seven on two hits in the eighth inning. It’s a funny game.”
Sunbirds’ reliever Kyle Lovero hit the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth, putting Coby Cress at second and Mark Magdaleno (3 for 3) at first. Magdaleno was replaced at first by courtesy runner Charles Whitman and Lovero was replaced on the mound by Matt Mazzoni. Mazzoni then hit third baseman Chris Ramirez with a pitch to load the basses and was replaced by Michal Rivera. Bill Sharp took over as a pinch runner for Ramirez.
After pinch hitter Taylor Maples was struck out by Rivera, left fielder Phil Pricket drove in Cress with a single through the left side to tie the game at four runs apiece. That brought up Wong who was the fourth runner in the inning to be hit by a pitch. As a result, Whitman was forced in, scoring the go-ahead run.
Next to the plate for the Warriors was Jordan Bottenfield. The shortstop hit a ground ball to third and the Warriors threw out Sharp at home, leaving the bases loaded with two away. After Tim Leary walked to force in Prickett, Christianson, who went two for four in the game and drove in six RBIs, sent the ball over the right field fence to clear the bases and put the Warriors on top 10-4.
Geoff Rocha started the game for the Warriors but did not figure in the decision. He pitched four innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on one hit. He struck out four but walked seven. Gregg Pellici, who was awarded the win, was called upon to serve in a long relief role and pitched four innings. Pellici gave up just one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out three.
“It was a different role for Gregg,” said Ruiz. “As a staff, we’ve been talking about the way Gregg can most effectively impact the team. We needed him to keep the ball game close. He threw strikes and forced the opposing team to put the ball in play and let our defense work. He did a great job keeping us in the ball game.”
Dan Price finished up for the Warriors on the mound, allowing one hit while facing just four batters.
Kelyn Schellenberg, who entered the game with a 7-1 record and an era of 1.88, pitched six and one-third innings for the Sunbirds. He gave up three runs, on 14 hits, walked one and struck out one. Lovero, who pitched just two-thirds of an inning and allowed two runs, was charged with the loss.
The second game was not as favorable for the Warriors.
A two-run home run by Leary gave the Warriors a 3-2 lead after three innings of play, but Fresno Pacific recorded five runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, three in the sixth and four in the seventh.
“I think we got a little complacent offensively and that caught up to us,” said Ruiz. “When we are hitting batters and walking batters it is going to be tough to win baseball games. We need to be efficient in the strike zone and we need to be better hitters.”
Leary, who started for the Warriors, was assigned the loss. He pitched three and one-third innings, giving up five runs on five hits. The win was awarded to Fresno Pacific starter Sean Cunningham who pitched five innings giving up three runs on four hits.
Westmont will return to action on Wednesday and Thursday, April 7 and 8, as they host The Master’s in a single game each day. First pitch is scheduled for three o’clock for both games.
