Westmont Baseball (14-5, 9-4 GSAC) split a doubleheader with Vanguard (14-6, 11-4) on Saturday at Russ Carr Field with both games ending in dramatic fashion.
In the first game, Westmont led 5-2 going into the top of the ninth inning. However, with one run already in and two away, the Lions’ Justin Vega drilled three-run home run over the right field fence to give Vanguard a 6-5 lead. The Warriors were unable to score in the bottom half of the ninth.
The second game was a classic pitchers’ duel with starters Jordan Moak (3-1) for Vanguard and Andrew Vasquez (4-0) for Westmont allowing precious few base runners. In the end, Vasquez and the Warriors prevailed 1-0.
Moak, who would eventually be charged with the loss, gave up just three hits in five and one-third innings of work. He struck out three and walked one.
Vasquez threw a complete game (seven innings) shutout allowing four hits. He struck out nine of the 27 batters he faced and allowed just one walk. Of his 104 pitches, 78 were for strikes (75 percent).
The lone run of the game came in Westmont’s half of the sixth inning. After Michael Frigon received a lead-off walk, Michael Stefanic produced a sacrifice bunt to advance Frigon to second base. Alex Bush then singled to advance Frigon to third.
With men on the corners and one away, Vanguard head coach Terry McKaig pulled Moak from the mound in favor of reliever Michael Jordan and then walked Will Barring to load the bases. That brought up Blake Mathias who hit grounded out to first, driving in Frigon.
The Warriors will resume play next Thursday when they host Corban (Ore.) at Russ Carr Field at 2:00 p.m.
