By Jordan Wyatt:

The Lady Warriors of #11 Westmont Women’s Tennis (10-11, 8-2 GSAC) have concluded their vigorous and challenging 2014 regular-season slate in winning fashion by knocking off four of their last five opponents.

From their initial match to their last, the squad’s schedule was riddled with competitive contests. In total, Westmont faced off with nine ranked sides and participated in matches with three teams from each division of the NCAA (I, II and III).

First-year Westmont head coach Kendyll McManigal does not discourage the strenuous nature of the team’s schedule, declaring that it galvanizes her squad by creating new enthusiasm for each match.

Match Results: [ACU], [HIU], [Biola], and [CSU Northridge]

By taking both games of a doubleheader in Lancaster on Saturday, Westmont Baseball (30-14) completed a four-game sweep against Antelope Valley (23-23) winning 12-2 in the first game and 11-3 in the second game. With the victories, Westmont has achieved a 30-win season for the first time in 25 years.

Junior Tyler Karp made his first start of the season and picked up his second win in a Warrior uniform. Karp pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked two. Taylor Martin and Michael Rishwain pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings respectively, each allowing one hit.

After giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Warriors scored two in the top of the second to tie the game. A bases loaded single to right field by Will Barring scored David Gabel for the first run. Alex Bush scored on a ground ball to record the second run.

By Jordan Wyatt:

On the final day of seasonal competition on campus at Lynn Abbott Courts, Westmont Men’s Tennis (14-5, 8-2 GSAC) capped off their prosperous 2014 regular-season run by romping Biola (RV) (8-15, 4-6) by a score of 9-0.

The fifth-ranked Warriors have now procured their sixth-straight victory, surpassing their five-win mark that inaugurated this year’s campaign. Furthermore, today’s triumph was the squad’s third sweep in a row.

Over the course of the streak, the men in maroon have defeated their opponents by a collective mark of 50-4, including three wins over ranked opponents: #13 Concordia, third-ranked (NCAA III) Williams (Mass.), and #19 (NCAA III) UC Santa Cruz.

Match Results: [HIU], [UC Santa Cruz], and [Biola]

By John Whallon

Westmont Men’s Soccer has announced the signing of six recruits for the 2014 recruiting class. These student-athletes, with an outstanding combined grade-point average of 3.78, will matriculate at Westmont in the fall. All six are from California.

“This 2014 recruiting class will continue to build on the momentum that was established during our fall season,” said Westmont head coach Dave Wolf. “Similar to the 2013 class, I think the most important attribute of this class is that they are all an excellent fit for the culture of our program. They know the guys on the team well because of their visits to campus, and have already been able to weave themselves into the fabric of our team.”

Wolf commented, “This is another exemplary recruiting class in terms of academic fit for Westmont. Each recruit has impressive classroom credentials. This academic integrity is a vital ingredient to our program. We want players who are able to balance their class work with a demanding soccer schedule. This is also a highly talented recruiting class—with three players having USSF Academy experience (the highest level of club soccer available), and the rest playing on elite club teams in California. All six players were named All-League in their respective high school conferences and many advanced far into the CIF playoffs.”

Playing against Antelope Valley (23-21) for the first time in school history, Westmont Baseball (28-14) extended its winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep of the Pioneers. The Warriors, who outhit the Pioneers 34-15 over the two games, prevailed in the opening game by a score of 13-2 and claimed the second game by 10-2.

Senior starter Casey Schapper (3-0) earned the win in the first game after pitching a scoreless six innings. Schapper allowed just three hits, struck out four and walked two.

The Warriors earned one run in the bottom of the first on an RBI-double by David Gabel that drove in Brandon Gildea. In the second, Derek Rodigo hit a solo home run down the left field line to make it 2-0 in favor of the home team. Later in the second, Steven Pollex doubled to center field, driving in both Ryan Beveridge and Will Barring.

Gildea led off the fifth inning with a home run to right center, putting the Warriors up 5-0. Joey Gonzalez picked up an RBI in the sixth inning when he drove in Beveridge with an RBI single up the middle and Gildea notched an RBI with an infield single that scored Pollex.

[game 1 box] [game 2 box]

Westmont Baseball (26-14, 17-13 GSAC) extended its winning streak to five games by sweeping Arizona Christian (13-27, 5-25) in a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Russ Carr Field. Westmont took the first game 14-4 and then shutout the Firestorm 9-0 in the seven-inning second game.

Torin Shaikh (6-3) earned the win in the first game, allowing one run on five hits in six innings of work. Shaikh struck out four and walked two Sam Sheehan added two scoreless innings in relief allowing three hits while striking out five and walking one.

The Warriors scored in every inning except two as they exploded for 14 hits. Alex Bushed sent two balls over the outfield fence with a lead-off homerun in the bottom of the fourth and a three-run home run in the fifth. Bush also singled in the seventh to go three for four with two runs and four RBIs.

Blake Mathias also cleared the fence with a two-run pinch-hit home run in the seventh. Steven Pollex produced a rare in-the-park home leading off the fifth inning.

[game one box] [game two box]

By Jordan Wyatt:

Westmont’s Joshua Barnard was named the NAIA Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, the national office announced Wednesday. The native of Glendora is the first ever Warrior Tennis athlete to receive the award.

The junior was selected based on his performances from March 31-April 6 and was chosen from a pool of over 25 nominees residing from conference, independent, and unaffiliated group award winners.

Barnard aided fifth-ranked Westmont Men’s Tennis (12-5, 7-2 GSAC) to a flawless 3-0 streak with an untarnished 6-0 record in doubles and singles play combined. The Warriors claimed their three matches 8-1, 7-2, and 9-0.

Westmont freshman Becky Collier has been named the NAIA National Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week. Collier won the group “B” heptathlon last weekend at the Sam Adams Combined Event Invitational.

Collier’s score of 4,824 points established a new school record. The previous record of 4,281 was held by Kristin Hempy in May of 2012. Also exceeding Hempy’s former record last weekend was Kristan Holding whose score of 4,338 points currently ranks third in the 2014 NAIA qualifying list.

Collier’s mark is not only the best in the NAIA so far this season, but also exceeds all of last year’s qualifying marks for the 2013 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.

While competing in the decathlon, Collier also established a new school record in the high jump, clearing 1.78 meters (5-10). The previous best mark of 1.75 meters (5-9.25) was set by Amber Nixon when she won the 2003 Outdoor National Championship in the individual event.