WHITTIER, CA. (APR. 2, 2024)- With the crazy weather in the Los Angeles area over the last few weeks, many games have been moved around. The Whittier baseball team had an impromptu game Tuesday afternoon. The Poets took on the Westcliff University Warriors in a non-conference matchup. A bullpen day for Whittier 7 different pitchers and some huge hits carried the Poets to a 5-4 victory. 

The Poets got off to a great start once again scoring in the first inning. Joseph Leyva (Downey, Calif., Warren HS, LA Harbor JC) drew a 4-pitch walk and moved over third on a Teige Barrett (San Diego, Calif., Mira Mesa HS) double to right-center. Then Abe Bullard (Paynesville, Minn., Paynesville HS) hit a shallow popup into center field that the shortstop caught, but with his speed Leyva as able to score on it. Whittier had a 1-0 lead at the end of the first. 

As the second inning started, the Poets looked as if they were going to break this game open. Nathan Sherman (Ventura, Calif., Buena HS), Ian Watanabe (Lodi, Calif., Lodi HS), and Jay Schulze (Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach HS) opened the inning with 3 straight singles. James Stirton (Cerritos, Calif., Valley Christian HS) then hit a single in the 5-6 hole and brought a run home. A double-play would end the Whittier threat, but they were still up 2-0. 

The Warrior were able to climb back into this game scoring 2 runs in the third and 1 in the fifth. These 3 runs were all unearned, and the Poets knew they were going to have to fight back. 

Barrett was not going to let this game slip away from the team, he tied things up with a solo home run in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Westcliff clawed their way back in the top of the seventh, recapturing the lead, but the Poets were not done. Delvan Gomez (Artesia, Calif., Gahr HS, Cerritos College), who had just come into the game, led off the bottom of the seventh and smashed his first career homer over the left field wall to tie the game up. Whittier was not done there, Stirton was then walked and was moved around to third base with 2-outs. Barrett stepped to the plate once again and hit his second double of the day down the left field line. The Poets had taken a 5-4 lead. 

Diego Lopez (San Jose, Calif., Thomas More HS, West Valley CC) shut down the Warrior's lineup in the top of the eighth inning and then Barrett took the ball to close. The purple and gold two-way star proceeded to strikeout the side and earn his 5th save of the year after already having a fantastic day at the plate. 

Zach Kennedy (Sacramento, Calif., Capital HS), Marcos Armenta Jr. (Bellflower, Calif., Gahr HS), Johnathon Lewis (Long Beach, Calif., Millikan HS), Nate Burke (Glendale, Calif., Glendale HS), Lukas Long (Stockton, Calif., Bear Creek HS), Lopez, and Barrett pitched a fantastic game for Whittier Tuesday. The 7 pitchers only allowed 1 earned run on 7 strikeouts and 3 hits. Lopez earned his first career win as a member of the Whittier team. The Poet offense managed 10 hits today, including 5 extra base ones. Barrett finished with 2 doubles and a homer, while Gomez hit a homer and followed it up with a triple. Sherman, Watanabe, Schulze, and Stirton also got in on the scoring action. 

This was a great victory for Whittier, as they will look to keep the momentum going into the weekend for their series against the University of Redlands. The Poets are scheduled to take on the Bulldogs at 3:00 on Friday at home, before hitting the road for a double-header at their place on Saturday at 11:00. These games are subject to change based on the weather, but fingers crossed for a dry weekend! Make sure to tune in this weekend, as head coach Mike Rizzo is only 1 win away from his 400th career victory!