A single by Hawk’s third baseman Jeff Lusardi in the bottom of the tenth inning, drove in left fielder Chad Erickson from third base to give #22 San Diego Christian (20-7, 12-5 GSAC) a 3-2 Golden State Athletic Conference win over Westmont (14-11, 7-10) on Friday afternoon. The game, played at Carroll Land Field at Point Loma Nazarene, was the first game of a three-game series.
Reliever Devin Matson took the loss for the Warriors. Though Matson did not give up a hit, Erickson reached base when he was hit by a pitch with one away. After Erickson stole second, Hunter Christenson took over for Matson on the mound. Christenson got first baseman Taylor Eichhorst to ground out to second, but the play moved Erickson to third. Lusardi then singled up the middle to end the game.
Torin Shaikh started the game for the Warriors and pitched eight innings. He allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits. Shaikh struck out eight and walked one.
The Hawks’ Joey Aquino was credited with the win after pitching a scoreless top of the tenth inning. San Diego Christian starter Mark Vasquez pitched nine innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on nine hits. Vasquez struck out five and walked two.
A lead-off homer in the bottom of the third inning by Jacob Rogers gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead. The Warriors evened the score at one when Steven Pollex hit a sacrifice fly to center on a 3-2 pitch to drive in Will Barring. Barring had earlier led off the inning with a single to center.
In the top of the eighth, Westmont took a brief 2-1 lead. Pollex led off with a single up the middle and then reached second on an error. When Brandon Gildea reached on another Hawk error, Pollex scored.
The Hawks evened the score at two in the bottom of the eighth after Cade Gotta singled through the left side with one away. Gotta stole second and one out later, came home on a Warrior error that allowed Eichhorst to reach first.
The Warriors and Hawks will reconvene tomorrow for a doubleheader, but move to San Diego Christian’s home field in El Cajon. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
