Two home runs summed up Westfield’s season-opener Monday at Monrovia.
After falling behind, the Shamrocks blasted their way back into the game with a grand slam in the fifth inning. But after forcing Monrovia into extra innings, the Bulldogs hit a walkoff homer in the bottom of the eighth, sending Westfield to a 7-5 defeat.
The ‘Rocks trailed 5-0 after four innings. In the top of the fifth, leadoff woman Alexis McClure got on base with a single, then moved to second after Reghan Oland’s base hit. Savannah Arvin hit a sacrifice fly that advanced both runners.
Lexi Martin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That brought up Avery Parker, and her right field line drive turned into an inside the park home run. Westfield was now within 5-4.
Martin tied the game up in the seventh inning. She doubled into center field, moved to third on a wild pitch, then scored on Parker’s ground out. The score was now 5-5 and stayed there through the end of the seventh. But in the bottom of the eighth, Monrovia hit a two-out, two-run home run to win the game.
Ohland finished the game 3-for-5, while Sara Harmeyer went 2-for-4, including a double. Avery Wagner pitched a complete game, striking out five.
Westfield plays at Taylor on Thursday.
Monrovia 7, Westfield 5
Westfield AB R H RBI
Reghan Oland 5 1 3 0
Savannah Arvin 4 0 0 0
Lexi Martin 2 1 1 0
Avery Parker 4 1 1 5
Sara Harmeyer 4 0 2 0
Madeline Hunter 0 1 0 0
Emily Revercomb 2 0 0 0
Victoria Pucci 1 0 1 0
Natalie Deck 3 0 0 0
Alexis McClure 3 1 1 0
Caroline Maymon 1 0 0 0
Zoe Klink 3 0 0 0
Totals 3a2 5 9 5
Score by innings
Westfield 000 040 10 – 5 9 1
Monrovia 201 200 02 – 7 7 0
HR: Parker. 2B: Harmeyer, Martin. SB: Hunter. SAC: Deck. HBP: Arvin, Martin.
Westfield pitching IP R ER H
Wagner 7.2 7 7 7
Strikeouts: Wagner 5. Walks: Wagner 9.