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9
Regis University RUBB 2-1
14
Winner Westmont WC 1-2
Regis University RUBB
2-1
9
Final
14
Westmont WC
1-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Regis University RUBB 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 3 9 3 2
Westmont WC 2 2 0 2 0 3 0 5 X 14 11 0

W: Youngerman,S (1-0) L: Ashcraft, Mason (0-1) S: Holly, A. (1)

4
Regis University RUBB 2-1-1
4
Westmont WC 1-2-1
Regis University RUBB
2-1-1
4
Final
4
Westmont WC
1-2-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Regis University RUBB 0 0 1 0 0 3 4 5 3
Westmont WC 1 0 0 3 0 0 4 6 0

Maxim Fullerton 2.3
Billy Saunders, Regis Athletics
Regis junior Maxim Fullerton (#23) hit his first home run of 2024 on Saturday. (File Photo)

Game Recap: Baseball | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Rangers leave California road trip with 2-1-1 record following Saturday's doubleheader against Westmont College

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Regis University baseball team concluded its opening series of 2024 on Saturday, falling by a 14-9 final in Game Three before earning a 4-4 tie in Game Four against Westmont College due to darkness.

With the team's two victories on Friday, the Rangers (2-1-1 overall) clinched their first series win of the spring and now head back home to Denver with a foundation ahead of next weekend's home opener against Pittsburg State (Feb. 9-11).

"I think we saw what we needed to see from this opening series. We're coming back home with a lot of positives and with a lot of things we know we need to continue to work on," said Regis head baseball coach, Pat Jolley. "All in all, I thought it was a pretty successful weekend and we're happy with how the guys competed and played."

GAME THREE RECAP
Feeding off the energy of its 2023 NAIA World Series ring ceremony in the pregame, Westmont College came out inspired to begin play on Saturday as the Warriors methodically built a 9-1 lead heading into the late innings.

The Rangers, who posted a seven-run ninth inning and a nine-run sixth inning in come-from-behind wins on Friday, would not go away quietly as they whittled the Warriors' lead down to 9-6 with a five-run seventh on Saturday.

Senior outfielder Levi Padilla earned a RBI hit-by-pitch, and junior infielder Tanner Rice would add a sacrifice fly, before junior outfielder Maxim Fullerton capped the inning with his first long ball of 2024; a three-run shot to dead center.

Redshirt freshman Frankie Tarantino tossed two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit, in his collegiate debut to help keep the Rangers within striking distance. Unfortunately, though, Westmont College responded with a five-run eighth inning of its own to help stave off the Rangers, 14-9.

"Frankie did a great job, pitched with conviction and was competitive in the strike zone, which is what we preach to our pitchers," Jolley said. "Between what Frankie was able to do on the mound, and then the big 3-run home run by Maxim, it was able to flip the momentum to our side. Unfortunately, we were just unable to maintain it."

Fullerton paced the Regis lineup, finishing 1-for-4 with two runs scored and three driven in, while junior infielder Clayton Conn recorded the Rangers' other hit, finishing 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a HBP.

GAME FOUR RECAP
The Rangers continued to show a flair for the dramatics in the series finale, rallying from a 4-1 deficit entering the top of the sixth inning to square the score at 4-4.

Junior catcher Adam Paniagua got the rally started with a leadoff single before trotting home two batters later on a RBI groundout from fellow junior, CJ Difiglia.

Senior first baseman Peter Goldy brought home the Rangers' third run on his second hit of the ballgame, while Padilla delivered two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Goldy and bring Regis even.

Westmont College would threaten in the home-half of the inning, putting two men on with one out and eventually loading the bases, but Regis right-hander Lucas Watson was able to induce a swing and miss to defuse the threat.

Watson shined in his first relief appearance as a Ranger, allowing just one hit across 2.1 innings while striking out six.

"Lucas has really good stuff and we were super pumped for him. He was able to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate while mixing in a good breaking ball," Jolley said. "He worked himself into a bit of a jam in the sixth, but then was able to work his way out of it. And I think that'll only help him gain confidence as we go forward."

UP NEXT
The Rangers will now head and prepare for a four-game series against Pittsburg State University out of the MIAA in Kansas. Regis will be looking to avenge a 1-3 series against the Gorillas back in 2023 when action gets underway with Game One on Friday, Feb. 9 (2 p.m.).

"It's going to be a good series. We know it's going to be tough and a big challenge. They made us look pretty ordinary last year, offensively, and pitched really well," Jolley said. "I anticipate facing a really good group of players that play for a good coach and a program that has had a lot of success. It's going to be a great challenge for our guys."
 
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