Westmont College wins World Series in final game as an NAIA member
LEWISTON, Idaho. - Westmont College is leaving the NAIA in style!
The Warriors capture the 66th NAIA World Series in the school's final sporting event as a member of the NAIA.
Starting this fall Westmont College will be competing in NCAA Division 2 Athletics.
The Warriors finished off their historic baseball season with a 7-6 championship game win over Lewis-Clark State of Idaho.
It's Westmont's first NAIA World Series crown in program history and their 48 wins is also a school record.
Westmont( 48-9) had another first as Tyler LaTorre is in his first season as head coach of the Warriors taking over a great program from Robert Ruiz who moved into the athletic director position at Westmont.
"It's those guys out on the field," said LaTorre. "I feel like it's all them, to be honest it is beyond words, it isn't anything I did I truly believe that. It's that group of players believing in each other."
Westmont jumped out to a 5-1 lead after four innings.
Liam Critchett drove in two runs with a bad-hop single in the second inning.
Brady Renck led off the third inning with a booming triple to left-centerfield and scored on an RBI single by Ryan DeSaegher to put Westmont up 3-1.
Lewis-Clark State jumped back into the game with a 3-run home run off the bat of Charlie Updegrade in the top of the fifth inning to cut Westmont's lead to 5-4.
After Westmont grabbed a 6-4 lead, Lewis-Clark State tied the game at 6 with two runs in the top of the seventh inning.
But the Warriors would score the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on a bases-loaded, 2-out walk to Parker O'Neil to score Robbie Haws.
Bishop Diego High School graduate Gabe Arteaga was stellar out of the bullpen for the Warriors.
He pitches the final 2 1/3 innings and did not allow a run to pick up the win.
Bryce McFeely squeezed the final out in right field and the Warriors got to dogpile.
"I love each and everyone of these guys," said DeSaegher. "They have picked me up so many times to go out there and win this thing it's awesome and I am going to cherish it forever."
Westmont College does the ultimate mic drop as they exit the NAIA as World Series Champions.
