Senior right fielder Coby Cress hit a home run in each game as Westmont Baseball (16-15-1) swept a doubleheader against La Sierra (2-17-1) on Friday afternoon at Russ Carr Field. The Warriors took the first game 12-0 then claimed the second by a score of 6-2.
Junior starter J.P. Cohn was awarded the win in the first game after pitching seven scoreless innings while allowing just five hits. Cohn struck out six and allowed one walk. Reliever Michael Kwan pitched the final two innings and did not allow a hit. Kwan struck out one and walked one.
Westmont scored a singled run in the first inning when Tim Leary’s ground out to short allowed J.J. Turbin to score from third. In the third inning, the Warriors added four more runs, three the result of Cress’ first home run that cleared the right centerfield fence. Westmont added three more runs in the fourth, and four in the fifth to complete the scoring.
Cress, who walked twice in the first game, was one for two at the plate with three runs scored and four RBIs.
Catcher Jarratt Rouse was three for five at the plate for the Warriors and second baseman David Pennington was two for three with four runs scored. Third baseman David Gabel and first baseman Hunter Christenson were both two for four with Christenson collecting three RBIs and Gabel one.
In the second game, senior starter Daniel Cabuling was credited with the win after giving up just one run on four hits in seven innings of work. Cabuling struck out six and walked one. Ryan Sullivan picked up his second save of the season after pitching the last two inning and allowing one run on two hits. Sullivan struck out two and walked one.
Neither team scored until the fifth inning. Westmont third baseman Steven Motush drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly to center field that brought home first baseman Thomas Hocutt. Center fielder William Barring later scored from third on a sacrifice bunt by Pennington.
In the sixth inning, the Warriors went up 4-0 on a solo home run by Cress. Gabel followed Cress with a triple to left center and then scored on a wild pitch.
La Sierra narrowed the gap by scoring once in the seventh and once in the eighth. But the Warriors recaptured a four run lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Both shortstop Brent Fukushima and left fielder Phil Prickett scored on wild pitches.
Westmont, which is 7-9 in conference, returns to Golden State Athletic Conference play next week with four games against The Master’s (20-11, 9-8 GSAC). On Thursday and Friday, the Warriors will host the Mustangs at three o’clock each day. Then on Saturday, Westmont will travel to Santa Clarita for a doubleheader beginning at noon.
