Tyler Roper and Isaiah Leach each had two hits and drove in three runs apiece as No. 3 Westmont took the first game of the GSAC doubleheader against Hope International on Saturday at Amerige Park, 6-4.
The Warriors would drop Game 2, 8-4.
Westmont jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Taylor Garcia doubled to open the game and scored on a single by Bryce Morison. Hope International put up three runs in the bottom half of the inning on a three-run homer by William Aguillar.
The Warriors bounced back to score three runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Nick Sablock opened the inning with a double before advancing on a wild pitch and scoring on a single by Isaiah Leach. Westmont would score two more on bases-loaded walks.
The Warriors added another run in the top of the 6th, when Roper’s RBI single scored Luke Coffey to make it 5-3.
After the rocky first inning, Westmont starter Justin Sanders would settle in until the sixth inning. Hope opened the inning back-to-back singles before a passed ball allowed them to advance into scoring position. Kody McLain relieved Sanders and allowed a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4.
Westmont added an insurance run in the top of the 8th on an RBI single by Leach.
Sanders picked up the win, tossing five innings and allowing four earned runs and striking out nine. McLain threw the final four innings, allowing only two hits and striking out two.
In the nightcap, the Warriors fell behind 6-1 after four innings, but were unable to complete the comeback.
Nick Sablock clobbered a two-run homer in the sixth, followed by a pinch-hit home run by Daniel Netz to make it 6-4.
Sablock took the loss, throwing three innings and allowing two runs, both earned. He struck out seven.
Men’s TennisWestmont 6, OUAZ 3
No. 25 Westmont was perfect in doubles play Saturday in its win over Ottawa University (Az.) at Westmont.
The doubles tandems of J.T. Joens-Joseph Hemry and Matthew Alleman-Jason Wegener were victorious 8-6 in their matchups. Jordan Stradness and Corey Stephens prevailed 8-3 in their doubles matchup in the win.
Joens, Stephens and Wegener were also victorious in singles play. Joens led the singles group with a 6-1, 6-0 win. Stephens won 6-4, 6-4 and Wegener was victorious 6-4, 6-3.
Women’s TennisWestmont 9, OUAZ 0
The No. 25 Westmont women’s tennis team clinched the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season title Saturday in dominating fashion over Ottawa University (Az.)
Cade Pierson, Isabel Lee and Emily Peterson overwhelmed the opposition in singles play, each winning 6-0, 6-0. Taylor Cheung-Damonte and Rachal Jackson also held their own in singles, winning 6-0, 6-1.
The doubles teams of Pierson-Cheung-Damonte and Lee-Peterson were both perfect in doubles play, winning 8-0.
Westmont, which improved to 14-4 overall and 11-0 in GSAC play, won by forfeit in the final singles and doubles matchups.
Women’s SoftballCal State Fullerton 1-6, UCSB 0-2
Despite out hitting the Titans 7-2, the Gauchos were unable to string enough hits together in a loss to open a doubleheader at UCSB.
The loss came despite a good outing by junior Felisha Noriega. She held the Titans to just two hits and gave up zero earned, earning three strikeouts. It was the third time this season Noriega threw a complete game while giving up no earned runs.
Junior Genesis Ramirez went 2 for 3 at the plate, while senior Melanie Menor went 2 for 2 with a walk.
Kelsie Whitmore knocked a two-out single in the fifth inning before stealing second. She would score on a Guacho error to score the games lone run.
The Gauchos battled back in the bottom half of the inning. Maci Fines hit a single with two runners on, though freshman Ally Nodohara, who came on as a pinch runner, was thrown out at the plate.
In the second game, UCSB was unable to hold on to a 2-1 lead, allowing the Titans to tie the game before exploding for four runs in the eighth inning for the doubleheader sweep.
UCSB’s Teah Thies tied a career-high with three hits, while Devan Sperry and Rayna Cohen each added a hit and RBI.
Freshman Alyssa Molina earned her first start of the season, allowing just one hit and one run in three innings.
Riverside 16, SBCC 2
Ninth-ranked Riverside piled up 16 runs on 17 hits and Brianna Arroryo tossed a two-hitter in a dominating win by the Tigers at Pershing Park. The non-conference game was called after five innings by the eight-run rule.