Starter Russell Harmening gave the Warriors eight scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, as Westmont Baseball (20-12, 11-11 GSAC) won the opening game of a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader against Biola (9-28, 5-19) on Saturday by a score of 9-0.
The Warriors also took the second game 3-1, completing a three-game sweep against Biola. Hunter Christianson picked up his second win of the weekend after facing two batters in the sixth inning. Michael Rishwain earned his second save of year.
Of the 25 batters Harmening faced in game one, nine were retired by strikeouts and none were walked. The only Eagle base runners under Harmening’s watch were in the fourth inning. Luke Klocek reached on an error to lead off the fourth, then reached second when Boone Farrington singled through the right side. Harmening got David McNeill to ground into a double play that advanced Klocek to third. He then struck out Michael Annunziata to end the Eagle threat. With the win, Harmening improved to 7-0
Zach DeMarcus pitched the final inning for the Warriors. He faced four batters, striking out two and giving up one hit.
Westmont put up three runs in the bottom of the second after Alex Bush received a lead-off walk. A sacrifice bunt by Will Barring moved Bush to second and an infield single by Brent Fukushima allowed Bush to take third.
After Fukushima stole second, Rudy Leon singled through the right side, scoring Bush and advancing Fukushima to third. Leon then stole second to return two Warriors to scoring position.
A sacrifice fly to right field by Chris Stroh brought in Fukushima and allowed Leon to take third. The latter scored when Steven Pollex reached on an error.
Like he did in yesterday’s series opener, Pollex added one run to the Warrior tally with a lead-off home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the fifth.
The Warriors scored the rest of their runs in the seventh inning. Joey Gonzales led off and reached on an error. Gildea then singled to right center, advancing Gonzales to third. With Beveridge pinch running for Gildea, David Gable single through the right side, scoring Gonzales and moving Beveridge to third.
Bush reached on a fielder’s choice that retired Gabel and scored Beveridge. Barring then doubled to right center, moving Bush to third. Fukushima then launched a sacrifice fly to center field that not only scored Bush, but advanced Barring to third. After Barring scored on a wild pitch, Leon singled to center field. Stroh then doubled to left to drive in Leon for the fifth run of the inning.
In the second game, Biola posted an unearned run in the top of the first to take an early lead. It was the only run starting pitcher Alex Bush would give up in five and one-third innings of work. Bush allowed five hits, struck out four and permitted just one walk.
Biola’s lead held up until the fourth inning when a two-out single by Matt Stumme led to a 1-1 tie. Pinch running for Stumme, Chito Elias stole second before Stroh walked. Pollex followed with a double that drove in Elias.
Things got interesting in the top of the sixth inning after McNeill walked to lead off the inning. Annunziata then walked moving McNeill to second. McNeill was then replaced on the base pads by pinch runner Konunui Olson. One out later, Olson reached third on a pass ball.
That’s when Christenson was called upon to take the mound. Christenson got Johnny Farrington to fly out to shallow right field and Tanner Swire to do the same, ending the Eagle’s threat.
The Warriors scored the final two runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Fukushima led off with a bunt single and then took second on a sacrifice bunt by Stumme. A ground ball to second by Stroh advanced Fukushima to third with two away. Pollex then singled through the right side to drive in Fukushima. After Pollex stole second, he scored on a single to left center by Joey Gonzales.
