Box Score Box Score

 In a game that ended up being well closer than it should have been, Cougar baseball defeated Westmont College 14-11 at CSUSM Baseball Field on Tuesday, extending its win streak to six games.

On the year, the Cougars are now 26-16.  Westmont drops to 15-27.

The Cougars pounced on Westmont early, batting around in the first inning to score five runs in support of starting pitcher Johnny Omahen.  Kyle Secciani and Trent Jemmett led off with solid base hits, and Secciani would score on a wild throw by the catcher trying to catch Jemmett stealing.  Kevin Silvett then drove in Jemmett with a base hit, and with one out Omahen helped his own cause with a double.  After a Jeremy Baum groundout plated Silvett, Ryle Parks walked and a wild pitch scored pinch runner Cory McCloskey.  Anthony Renteria capped off the inning with an RBI single to put the Cougars up 5-1.

On the mound, Omahen was solid, going 5 innings to earn the win.  He walked 3 and struck out 3 while allowing 3 runs.  Matt Kretchmer was the team's most effective reliever, striking out the side in order in his one inning of work.

The Cougars would continue to build the lead, piling on early runs with 2 in the second, 1 in the third, then 5 more in the fifth to go up 13-3.  They would not stick the landing, however, as the bullpen and defense scuffled late and actually allowed Westmont back in it.  Westmont brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but reliever Andrew Larson closed out his second inning of work to secure what turned into an ugly 14-11 win.

At the plate, CSUSM tallied 14 hits, with Jemmett and Omahen getting 3 each, and Secciani and Mike Mecucci recording 2 each.  CSUSM took advantage of 7 walks, 5 hit batsmen, and 5 wild pitches from the Westmont staff.

The Cougars will celebrate senior day on Saturday when they play Chapman at home in a double-header starting at 11:00 AM.