Dylan Lee powers Westlake baseball past Thousand Oaks

THOUSAND OAKS — First baseman Dylan Lee’s grand slam kick-started a seven-run, first-inning rally as Westlake’s baseball team defeated Thousand Oaks, 14-4, in the Marmonte League on Friday.

The Lancers (16-8 overall, 5-7 league) snapped the Warriors’ seven-game winning streak Thursday, but Westlake (16-7, 9-3) won the series by taking two of three games.

“I feel most happy about the way we battled back from a loss yesterday and didn’t show signs of defeat,” Westlake head coach Wallace Barnett said. “We came back ready to play today.”

Thousand Oaks starting pitcher Dane Bacon didn’t make it out of the first inning as he struggled with his command. He walked third baseman Joey Moore, allowed a single to Caden Atkinson and walked Jaxson Neckien to load the bases.

Lee then came up to the plate and fell behind in the count 1-2. Two pitches later, he launched the ball over the wall in left-center for a grand slam.

The entire Westlake team mobbed him at home plate after he rounded the bases.

“Two-strike approach,” Lee said. “Tried to stay low, right center, line drives, but got a little out in front of it, stayed through it. Ball went.”

That was the first of two home runs Lee hit Friday. In the fifth inning, he faced a 2-2 count when he crushed a home run to left field.

Lee went 3 for 5 with seven RBIs in the game.

“Yesterday, he was taking good pitches and then swinging at the bad ones,” Barnett said. “So today, he kind of stayed back and swung at his pitches.”

The Warriors weren’t done scoring in the inning. With a walk, a single and another walk they loaded the bases again. Bacon got the next batter out, but after walking his fifth batter of the inning to force in a run, Thousand Oaks brought in left-hander Luke Forkin.

“It was tough to watch as a position player and a head coach,” Thousand Oaks head coach Hayden Cronenbold said. “You think on Friday a guy would give you a better start than just one inning?”

Moore’s single drove in two more runs as Westlake led 7-0 before the Lancers got the chance to bat.

With the early lead, Atkinson, a UC San Diego commit, didn’t have to pitch under pressure. He went five innings and allowed four runs on seven hits.

Westlake added five runs in the third inning. Atkinson, Neckien and Lee each drove in runs as the Warriors led 12-1. Thousand Oaks also made two errors in that inning.

“I think we’re fielding .915, .916,” Cronenbold said. “I mean, there’s Little League teams that are 10 years old that field the ball better than us in the field.”

Left-hander Lars Refnes pitched the final two innings for the Warriors.