By Brandon Petersen
Saturday at the Great Park was an interesting eight hours for the Westcliff baseball team.
The Warriors picked up their second Cal Pac sweep of the season, this time over Antelope Valley, a result not many would have predicted heading into the weekend.
But after winning Game 1, 8-6, and Game 2, 15-10, the Warriors left the park with a bad taste in their mouths having allowed the Pioneers to score eight runs in the final three frames.
Holding a 15-3 lead, the Warriors were one out away from a mercy-rule finish, but couldn't close. Westcliff committed a trio of fielding errors and allowed three two-out runs to extend the contest.
But even though the Warriors got an angry earful from the coaching staff on their way out of the building, Saturday has to be considered a resounding success — considering the opponent, and considering where it landed the ball club in the Cal Pac standings.
Through three series, the Warriors are 8-1 and leading in the win column by two full games.
Their solitary loss has them still looking up at 4-0 St. Kats and 3-0 Ben U, but having series wins over quality clubs Park (6-3) and UAV (5-4) in their back pocket, Westcliff is right on track to secure its first playoff berth in school history.
"The special thing about this team is that everyone has each other's backs," Caleb Castanchoa said after an important 3-for-5 performance in Game 1. "I've never been a part of the team like this, where it's like everybody loves everybody. You get down on yourself and the next guy is right there to pick you up.
"I feel like it's a brotherhood, more than a team."
That type of camaraderie has already shown up in Westcliff's results.
After a hard-fought preseason that nonetheless racked up losses, the Warriors picked each other up for the start of Cal Pac play and outscored Providence Christian 50-1.
After a crazy loss to Park that featured some questionable umpiring, but really came down to fielding errors and unearned runs, the Warriors responded by sweeping away UAV, which has received NAIA votes this season.
When asked if the Warriors have the potential to win the Cal Pac, Game 1 starter Keaton Slack said, "Yes. Absolutely. We have talent. We have dudes that really want to play, that really want to be here and they are competitors."
Perhaps none more competitive than Eddie Rivero, who, outing after outing, sparks the Warriors, not only emotionally, but with clutch knocks like the one he had in Game 1.
Down 5-3 to start the eighth, pinch-hitter Trey Harmon blasted a shot to left for a stand-up double.
Cue Rivero, who stepped up to the plate next and deposited a moon-shot dinger beyond the metal in left.
The Warriors went absolutely bonkers in the dugout, and just like that, all of the momentum was on their side.
Castanchoa followed it up with an RBI fielder's choice, and both Castanchoa and Nolan Wasson scored later on an Evan Rocha single.
Colby Weyant shut things down in the ninth for the save.
Westcliff (14-9 overall) carried their hot hitting into the second game and took a 9-1 lead after the second-inning netted them eight.
Rivero and Jack Barrios singled in the frame and both Daniel Esqueda and Zane Parmenter doubled as the Warriors batted around and then some.
Barrios would single again in a three-run fourth and Parmenter hit a slicing shot to right that would skip past Alec White for a triple.
In the fifth, Harmon belted a homer to left, and Ryan Naranjo hit a two-run single that scored Rocha and Ray Moore Jr.
The Warriors collected 19 hits in Game 2, and 14 in Game 1.
Rivero went 6-for-10 on the day with four runs scored and three driven in.
Harmon went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one driven in.
In Game 2, Parmenter turned in a 4-for-5 performance, with two scored and two more driven in.
Castanchoa went 3-for-5 in Game 1, with one scored and two driven in.
"I felt really good today," Castanchoa said. "The guys were right behind me the whole time and I just knew if I didn't do it, they would do it for me.
"But being able to do it makes me feel 100-percent better. Just all around — really happy."
Desi Garcia racked up his fifth straight win in Game 2.
Ben Weller got the Game 1 win in relief, tossing a pair and striking out two.
Slack turned in yet another quality start.
Scattering six hits over six full, Slack allowed four earned and struck out four.
He was asked afterward what it's like to face a potent lineup like UAV's.
"Staying locked in and hitting my spots really helped me get through their lineup," Slack said. "They are great hitters. They are a great team, so just staying locked in and giving it everything I had."
Slack says consistency is the name of his game, and that the Warriors' consistency has helped them flourish.
"We've been winning games," he said. "I can't complain about that. We've been staying consistent and doing our jobs, and hopefully that will lead us to winning the whole thing."
Now the Warriors will turn their attention to a non-conference matchup with the Master's, which visits the Great Park Tuesday.
Westcliff will then make the trek north to Redding, where a four-game series with Simpson awaits next weekend.
Simpson is 8-16 overall and 2-7 in Cal Pac play.
