PLNU split a doubleheader with the visiting Westmont Warriors at Carroll B. Land Stadium on Saturday. After taking the first game 10-6, the Sea Lions came back from a 3-0 deficit in the second game, only to fall 5-4.

The losses put the Sea Lions four back of California Baptist in the standings, meaning that PLNU will have to sweep their four-game, regular season ending series with the Lancers next week if they are to repeat as conference champions. One Point Loma loss or a CBU win and the Lancers are the 2010 GSAC Champions.

In game one PLNU scored in each of the first five innings, giving starter Chad Blauer plenty of run support to work with. Westmont starter Gregg Pellici was hit for nine runs in 3 1/3 innings, seven of them earned.

Home runs by Allen Boyer and Tyler Kuehl helped the Sea Lions establish a 10-2 lead. Both Boyer and Kuehl finished with three RBI, with Boyer scoring three runs in the win. Wes Kartch went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI as well.

The Sea Lions gave up two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh, but reliever Maurice Wilhelm came in to throw two scoreless innings, ending any hope of a Warrior comeback. The Warriors finished with 10 hits, three apiece from outfielders Coby Cress and Charles Whitman, who hit his first homer of the year in the loss.

The Warrior lineup got to PLNU starter Robby Ross early on in game two, plating three runs in the first. Westmont loaded the bases, then got two RBI singles and scored another run on a Sea Lion throwing error. Ross then settled down and threw five strong innings.

Warriors' starting pitcher Timothy Leary did his best to keep the Sea Lions' hitters off balance, giving up just two runs through the first five frames. After a solo homer from Terrel Wong made the score 4-2 Warriors, Leary ran into some trouble in the bottom of the sixth.

Steve Winnick plated Kartch on a single and Alec Martinez doubled to the wall in right field to tie the game at four. Leary was replaced by Dan Price, who walked the first two batters, loading the bases with one out. The Sea Lions were unable to capitalize, as Kuehl flew out too shallow to score the runner from third. Price then struck out Jeff Fox on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

The Warriors loaded the bases with one out in the next inning, but they too failed to capitalize as PLNU reliever Davis Koenig induced an inning-ending double play. Westmont would plate the go-ahead run the next inning though when Wong led off with a single and was eventually driven in on a sacrifice fly from Whitman.

Warrior reliever Pete McCarthy worked two scoreless innings to earn the win, improving the Warriors record to 8-24 in the GSAC, 12-31 overall.

PLNU ends the day with a record of 33-12-1, 22-10 in conference play. The Sea Lions host first-place Cal Baptist this week on Wednesday and Thursday, both games at 3 p.m.

-Jeremiah Wood