Rios Leads Warriors Back to Playoffs

By Brandon Petersen

It's been a year of learning and process for the Westcliff baseball team. 

After a sizable amount of player turnover, and with Head Coach Dylan Hoffman in his first year at the helm, it's taken the season for the Warriors to develop and start to play their most consistent brand of winning baseball.

But if there's one player Hoffman has been able to pencil in easily from the very start, it's top-of-the-rotation pitcher Eddie Rios, who started the Warriors' first-ever playoff game a year ago, and had an opportunity to return Westcliff to Mesa, AZ for the 2024 Cal Pac playoffs when he took the hill against Saint Katherine Monday.  

Rios was brilliant, tossing seven full innings of two-hit, shutout baseball, while sending down a program-record 14 batters by way of strikes. 

Rios is now tied for the NAIA lead in strikeouts with 104.

On the season, Rios is 8-4 with an ERA of 3.00 through 75 innings. His WHIP stands at a remarkable 1.19. 

Needless to say, Rios is one of the favorites to win Cal Pac Pitcher of the Year. 

"Going into the last game, it could have been our last, and we needed to clinch a playoff spot, so (the win) was pretty special," Rios said. "Without the help of these guys, it doesn't happen, but I felt good. It felt special."

Eddie Rivero went Edward on the 'Birds from the offensive side, finishing off a 2-for-4 day that included a walk with a three-run blast to put the Dubs up 8-0 in the top of the eighth. 

Miguel Espana sent a solo shot over the fence three batters earlier. 

Kyle Douphner took over in the eighth, and the Warriors knew their fate had been sealed. 

Make that back-to-back trips to play for a Cal Pac banner. 

"Going back to Arizona is always so fun," Rios said. "Especially with Hoffman, his first time as head coach, I'm really happy for him. I love the guy.  I love the coaching staff. I love the guys. I'm just ready to do some great things over there."

Although Rios pitched well and turned in a quality start in the opening round of last season's Cal Pac tournament, eventual champion UAV was able to take the opening-round win. 

That gives Rios a chance to claim a little redemption when he takes the hill in Arizona this year. 

"It's another game," Rios said. "I'm going to go out there and treat it as my last. I'm happy to have these guys behind me. Just one pitch at a time, I'm going to go out there and do everything I can to help my team win. 

"Hopefully we come out with a 'W' and keep going."

Behind Rios, the Warriors have been able to count on quality starts from Camden Cooper, who has 56 strikeouts through 53 innings pitched, and got his fourth win Tuesday, when the Warriors wrapped the Cal Pac docket with a 12-2 win over Providence Christian at the Great Park. 

Rivero, Daniel Esqueda, Kolby Wagatsuma, Sawyer Stidham and Ian Avalos all had multiple-hit games. 

Rios arrived in warm-ups and watched the game from the dugout alongside his teammates a day after they made history together. 

"I got a text from my Mom, she said, 'I'm super proud of you,'" Rios said. "And I was like, 'Thank you, I honestly didn't even know I had 14 strikeouts.' They checked the box score and Hoff said, 'Hey, you're tied for No. 1.'  I was like, 'Wow, that's pretty impressive.'

"Being my last year, that's all I wanted to do — just be the best player I can be, have a great year, and that's what I'm doing right now. Job's not done. Once the playoffs come, let's keep rolling."

At the end of next week, Rios and the Warriors will be called upon to make history again and claim Westcliff's first Cal Pac championship in baseball. 

The Cal Pac tournament starts May 3rd at Hohokam Park in Mesa, the official Spring Training facility of the Oakland Athletics. 

The tournament field includes host and top-seeded Ben U, followed by Embry-Riddle, Simpson, the Warriors and Park-Gilbert.