Cazares Spins Gem, Dubs Advance

By Brandon Petersen

They're still dancing. 

No matter how the Westcliff baseball team wraps the Cal Pac championships this week in Mesa, AZ, they have already made history. 

A year after the Warriors were bounced in the third round of the tournament, the Dubs did the bouncing this time around, sending home No. 3 Simpson with a 6-5 win in 11 innings. 

"Simpson is well-coached, with a lot of good talent over there," Westcliff skipper Dylan Hoffman said. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy. We knew it was going to be back-and-forth."

Currently, the Warriors are battling Ben U in the tournament semifinals. 

Embry-Riddle drubbed the Red Hawks in this morning's first game, setting up a rematch that the Warriors will be aching to win after falling to Ben U in Round 2 on a walk-off single. 

Thursday in Round 3, the Warriors took a 3-0 lead in the first when Zane Parmenter singled to center scoring Nick Malvini. 

Eddie Rivero then sent another single up the middle plating both Parmenter and Jakob Taylor. 

Simpson countered with two in the second and two more in the third to take a 4-3 lead.

With their backs against the wall, the Warriors needed a spark and looked to — who else — Rivero, who led off the top of the sixth with a single and then scored all the way from first on a busted Achilles tendon when Caleb Castanchoa sent a rocket to left for a double. 

"(Rivero and Castanchoa) are a dynamic duo," Hoffman said. "They're best friends on the field and off the field. There is nothing stopping them from being the two best players among our starting nine."

Micah Wallette then singled to left, plating Castanchoa and giving the Warriors a one-run lead.

Simpson was able to tie it up in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a leadoff double that came around to score on a sac fly. 

Westcliff made history in the 11th when Malvini sac-flied home Quinton Knight, and Eddie Rios slammed the door shut to collect the save. 

Coming into the contest, the Warriors needed a top-flight performance from southpaw Sergio Cazares.

Cazares answered the call, and then some, spinning six and a third of six-hit baseball, striking out six along the way. 

Although he surrounded four runs, only one was earned and Cazares was greeted with a hero's welcome when his night was finished. 

"Sergio came out and dominated," Hoffman said. "We used him at the right time. Then having the pen come in with (Ben) Weller and then Rios, it was a huge, huge thing for us."

Weller gave up just one hit in one and two-thirds work, and Rios mopped up tossing three full, allowing three hits and striking out four. 

"We're sticking to our motto," Hoffman said. "One pitch at a time. One inning at a time. It's paying off. 

"These guys are playing like a family."

The Warriors are currently trailing Ben U 5-0 in the top of the third. 

Backs against the wall once again, if Westcliff responds and takes down the Red Hawks, Embry-Riddle awaits Friday in the tournament championship.