HOT WON

By Brandon Petersen

Under a blazing afternoon sun, Westcliff stayed just as hot at the plate.

The Warriors broke the game open with a four-run third inning and never looked back, defeating Bethesda 9-4 on Monday at Rio Hondo College to improve to 16-13 on the season.

Westcliff totaled 10 hits and drew seven walks, applying steady pressure throughout while capitalizing on timely hitting and key moments of execution.

Head coach Dylan Hoffman pointed to both the offense and a developing presence on the mound as major positives coming out of the win.

"AJ looked good today," Hoffman said. "But someone that stood out to me the most would be Gaxiola. That was something we really needed to see."

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the Warriors responded in the second when Jack Varney launched a solo home run to even the score.

Westcliff seized control in the third. Alex Chacon delivered the biggest swing of the game, ripping a three-run double to right field to give the Warriors a 4-1 lead. Moments later, Chacon came around to score on a wild pitch, extending the advantage to four.

Bethesda trimmed the deficit to 5-3 in the fourth, but Westcliff answered immediately. Landon Raskin drove in a run with a single, and a wild pitch brought home another to push the lead to 7-3.

The Warriors continued to add on, with AJ Quezada delivering an RBI double in the fifth before Varney picked up his second extra-base hit of the day with an RBI double in the sixth.

Varney finished 2-for-3 with a home run, double and two RBIs, while Chacon drove in three to lead the offense. Quezada also turned in a strong performance with two hits and an RBI.

On the mound, Domingo Gaxiola showed flashes in his start, working three innings while allowing two runs and striking out two.

"I mean, yeah, a little shaky," Hoffman said. "We know what he's truly all about, and he's still making his way there. But I think he's going to be perfect for us in time for the Simpson series and rolling into the playoffs."

Shunta Furuya picked up the win in relief, striking out five over 2.2 innings, while Justin Guzman and Riley Vogt were outstanding to close out the final frames.

Hoffman also highlighted the effort of Martin Sanchez, who brought energy behind the plate in tough conditions.

"A hot day like today, he didn't want to be taken out," Hoffman said. "That shows his pride for his team and how hard he wants to work for them."

With the win, Westcliff moves into what Hoffman described as a strong position heading into a key stretch of the schedule.

"We're in a happy spot right now, 16-13," Hoffman said. "And heading into hopefully two games before Simpson."

The Dubs will visit Nobel and Cal Lutheran before welcoming Simpson to the Great Park on the 27^th.