By Beth Renkoski
03/17/09
Toros hold on 5-4Â to beat Lions
 
Siegmund started and took the loss |
 
Wood fouls off a pitch |
 
Curtis pitched the 7th inning |
VU bases go green for St. Patrick's Day
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Costa Mesa, Calif. - Cal State Dominguez Hills edged the Vanguard Lions
5-4 in nonconference baseball action this afternoon in Costa Mesa, dropping the Lions for their 13th loss of the season. Falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Lions came within a run in the bottom of the eighth inning but could not overcome the initial three-run deficit and lost by one run for the fourth time this season.
The Toros charged out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, using a Lion error to open the door for a big inning off VU starter Brett Siegmund. Jon Alia, Paul Klingsberg, and Luis Perez drove home runs in the first to push the Toros into what would be an insurmountable three-run lead.
CSUDH tacked on an additional run in the third with Alia doubling home Candelario Flores for a 4-0 lead, sending the Lions into the bullpen for reliever Ryan Vollkemmer. Vollkemmer shut the Toros out on four hits for the next 3.2 innings, before passing the job over to sophomore Matt Curtis.
Curtis retired the first two batters he faced in the top of the seventh inning before Flores singled and stole second base. A two-out single by Kevin Pillar plated Flores for a 5-0 lead and the eventual game-winning run.
Vanguard's four runs came in the seventh and eighth innings off CSUDH's fourth and fifth pitchers of the game. The Lions put two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh with a walk from David Fair to Brett Halstead and a bunt single by senior Ethan Gentry. Jacob Wood ripped a two-out triple to clear the bases and bring the Lions within three runs, 5-2.
Danny Torres relieved Fair in the bottom of the eighth inning, pegging two of the first three Lions he faced. Senior Derek Craddock delivered a two-out two-run double to left-center, but Torres was able to get out of the jam with the 5-4 lead still intact.
The Lions had their opportunities in the bottom of the ninth with Gentry reaching base on a third strike passed ball. He was forced out at second by Wood, who attempted a sacrifice bunt. Wood then moved to third on a single by Keegan Freeman, but Freeman was thrown out trying to take second base on the play. Wood was finally stranded at third base when Paul Klingsberg, the sixth and final Toro pitcher, induced a ground out to end the game.
Cal State Dominguez Hills improved to 13-12 with the win, beating the Lions by one run for the second time this season.
Craddock had two of VU's seven hits on the day and was the only Lion with a multi-hit game. Craddock and Wood drove in all four of Vanguard's runs and Siegmund was charged with the loss. Jordan Oseguera pitched the final two innings for the Lions, allowing two hits in eight batters faced.
Playing the first of three days in a row at home this week, the Lions are now 7-13 overall and will continue spring break and the season tomorrow with another nonconference game. Vanguard hosts Illinois Institute of Technology in a 2:30 p.m. start on the VU baseball field.
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