By Josh Banker
2/28/09
Baseball Pulls Off Split with No. 8 Cougars
Costa Mesa, Calif. - Vanguard University bounced back from a 9-4 loss in game one against No. 8-ranked Azusa Pacific to earn a 7-4 win and a split of the Golden State Athletic Conference baseball double header with the Cougars. The game two win was VU's first official GSAC win of the season.
A close game heading into the top of the eighth was blown wide open as the Cougars from Azusa Pacific University used a three-run homer from first baseman Brice Cutspec to cap a six-run inning that gave the GSAC-leading Cougars a 9-4 win in game one.
Cutspec was a huge thorn in the Lions side as he went 4-for-5 with five RBIs against VUSC. Catcher Chris Feicht also went 4-for-5 with a homer, and designated hitter Eddie Crespo smacked three hits to go with three runs scored and a pair of RBIs as Azusa used a 16-hit attack to send the Lions to just 1-9 overall and 0-7 in the GSAC after the loss in game one.
Christopher Carls took the loss for Vanguard to fall to 0-2 on the season despite giving up just two earned runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.
Vanguard didn't help itself either as the Lions grounded into three double plays and left nine men on base in game one. Peter Gehle went five scoreless innings for the Cougars with six strikeouts to move to 2-0 on the year.
Right fielder Brett Halstead had the only multi-hit performance for the Lions as he went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
Vanguard took advantage of an eighth inning error by right fielder Virgil Chavira to score three and cut a 9-1 Cougar lead to five runs, but could not muster anything off of reliever Ben Jones, who pitched the final 1.1 innings for APU to close the door.
Moving on after the game one loss, the Vanguard Lions used a six-run inning of their own to earn their first GSAC win of 2009 in a 7-4 upset of No.8-ranked Azusa Pacific in the nightcap of the GSAC twinbill.
Tied at one going into the fourth, Vanguard (2-9, 1-7 GSAC) took a two-run lead on a two-run homer by first baseman Joshua Manzano, his first of the season, and then broke the game wide open as pinch-hitter Nicholas Akins doubled in two more to give the Lions a 7-1 lead.
The six-run lead was enough for starter Michael Anderson, who has now gobbled up both of the Vanguard wins in 2009. Brandon Godfrey, who entered the game with a 7-3 lead, relieved Anderson with one runner on base. He allowed a pair of hits but got the Lions out of a jam with only one run scored to help preserve the win for Anderson and the Lions.
Cutspec and Feicht both hit solo homers for Azusa Pacific (15-3, 7-2 GSAC) but the Cougars this time fell prey to the double play as they hit into two in game two.
Christian Gagne (2-2) gave up all six runs (five earned) for the Cougars with Jacob Wood and Eric Krzysiak notching the other two runs batted in for the Lions.
Vanguard was led by Keegan Freeman's two hits in three at-bats while seven different Lions scored a run.
The Lions conclude their long seven-game homestand by hosting Occidental Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. before returning to GSAC play Thursday at Concordia.
