TWO OF THREE

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff rebounded from a 13–4 loss in Friday's series opener with a pair of gritty wins Saturday, taking two of three from Nelson University in Arizona behind timely power and key performances on the mound.

The Warriors earned a 6–4 victory in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader before rallying late for a 9–8 win in the finale, overcoming momentum swings in both games to secure the series.

Game 1 remained scoreless through four innings before Westcliff broke through in the fifth. Patrick Morgan tied the game with an RBI single, and Alex Chacon followed with a go-ahead base hit to give the Warriors a 2–1 edge. After Nelson briefly answered, Morgan delivered again in the seventh with a solo home run to reclaim the lead.

Nick Malvini provided the decisive blow an inning later, launching a three-run homer to left to push the advantage to 6–3. Nelson added a solo shot in the ninth, but Andrew Wright closed the door to seal the win.

Cameron Witte anchored the opener with 6.1 solid innings, allowing three runs while working through traffic to keep Westcliff within striking distance.

"Cameron Witte stepped up in a big way for us, having a strong start," head coach Dylan Hoffman said. "We hope he can continue this momentum. We lost Clark last weekend, and Demuth this weekend, so seeing Witte endure the role was a huge confidence booster for our guys."

The nightcap followed a far different script. Westcliff jumped out early with three runs in the first and three more in the third, capped by another Malvini blast — a three-run homer to center — but Nelson stormed back with seven runs in the bottom of the third to flip the game.

The Warriors chipped away to tie the contest in the fifth before Nelson regained the lead, setting the stage for a dramatic seventh inning. Kailen Kimata delivered a game-tying RBI single, and Landon Raskin followed with the decisive hit up the middle to give Westcliff a 9–8 advantage.

Daniel Vendl worked two scoreless innings to earn the win, striking out four and stranding potential tying runs to preserve the comeback.

Malvini finished the doubleheader with multiple extra-base hits and six RBIs across the two games, continuing an early-season power surge that has already matched last year's home run total.

"Nick Malvini was the star of the weekend with the bat making game-changing swings throughout the weekend," Hoffman said. "Nick already has tied his homer stat from last season just six games in and he didn't even start on opening day. He is hungry for success and if we see this Malvini throughout the season, we have a lethal bat, day in and day out."

Saturday also marked Morgan's return to the lineup after missing time with a minor injury, and the senior made his presence felt immediately.

"Patrick Morgan was back in the lineup Saturday after a few games off and didn't miss a beat," Hoffman said. "His homer this weekend tied the all-time homerun record set by Trey Harmon a few seasons ago."

After Friday's setback, Westcliff's response across Saturday's doubleheader underscored both the depth of the lineup and the team's ability to withstand adversity early in the season.