box score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Justin Lawrence pitched Point Loma Nazarene to a 2-1 GSAC win over Westmont Thursday afternoon at Russ Carr Field. The Sea Lion junior tossed 7.2 innings in the opener of a four-game series with the Warriors.

The Green and Gold is now 11-11 overall, 4-5 GSAC. Westmont fell to 8-12-1, 3-6 conference.

The PLNU offense collected nine hits against the WC staff. A solo homerun from Lucas DiCiccio in the fourth and a RBI double by Bryan Burkhead in the fifth was all that the team would give Lawrence to work with.

Westmont threatened a few times during the game, putting runners on second in the first, fourth and seventh frames. Lawrence came away unscathed each time however, until Coby Cress hit a solo shot in the eighth.

Cress' homer chased Lawrence from the mound with just one earned run against him, but it could have been worse before a Westmont runner was gunned down by Sea Lion catcher Ricky Gingras at second base prior to the round-tripper. If not, Cress would have tied the score.

Chad Etchison was called in from the PLNU pen for one batter but it was Garrett Gooding that closed out the eighth to preserve the Sea Lion lead. Chris Gonzales took over in the ninth and got out of a runner-at-third jam to earn the save, his third of the year.

Lawrence earned the win, improving to 4-1. He allowed one run on seven hits and struck out seven. Torin Shaikh (2-3) suffered the loss for Westmont. Warrior reliever Ryan Sullivan toed the rubber for four no-hit frames.

Point Loma and Westmont will be back in action Friday at 2:00 pm. That tilt will be in Santa Barbara. On Saturday the two teams make their way down the coast to San Diego for a twinbill at Carroll B. Land Stadium starting at 11 am.