By Beth Renkoski
03/26/09
Eagles Defend Nest Against Lions
La Mirada, Calif. - Riding a five-game winning streak into La Mirada, the Vanguard Lions were disappointed to have that streak snapped by the Biola Eagles. Although the Lions posted a 6-5 win in the continuation of a suspended game at 2:00 p.m., the Lions lost the regularly scheduled matchup 18-6 to the Eagles.
The Lions took the first lead in the top of the first inning with a two-out blast to left-center field off Biola starter Calen Pennington. Mike Anderson doubled to lead off the second inning for the Lions, moved to third on a single by Josh Manzano, and scored on a ground ball by Derek Craddock, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead.
However, the Eagles answered with single runs in the second and third innings to regain the lead off Vanguard starter, southpaw Brandon Godfrey. Vanguard came back to tie the game in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Keegan Freeman, but Godfrey could not hold back the Eagles in the bottom of the fourth inning. Four Eagle hits and three runs brought on a pitching change as the Lions called on Matt Curtis to take over the job on the mound with two outs and one runner on base.
Curtis pitched a complete inning before handing the ball over to Jordan Wishmyer with two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth. Wishmyer exited the jam with no damage, but the Eagles attacked him for four hits and three runs, giving Biola a 9-3 lead at the end of six complete innings of play.
Vanguard got back in the game in the top of the seventh inning as Jacob Wood and Freeman singled to lead off the frame against Biola reliever Charlie Gausepohl. One out later, Nick Akins cranked a three-run shot to left-center, cutting BU's lead to 9-6. However, that would be VU's final runs of the game as Steven Alexander and Billy Vopinek held the Lions to one hit in the last two innings.
A Vanguard error opened the door for five unearned runs for the Eagles in the bottom of the seventh as Biola piled on nine runs in the final two innings against VU relievers Ryan Pauly and Jordan Oseguera. Ryan Vollkemmer closed the game out for the Lions but the damage was done as Biola (17-15 overall and 10-9 in GSAC) rapped 23 hits in the 18-6 victory.
Wood led the Lions with three hits, while Freeman and Schaniel added a pair each, and Akins notched half of VU's RBIs with his seventh homer of the season. Godfrey (0-3) was charged with the loss and the Lions, who briefly rose to .500 with the suspended game win, drop to 13-14 overall and 9-11 in GSAC.
Vanguard returns home for a GSAC double header on Saturday against the 24th-ranked Fresno Pacific University Sunbirds. Game one begins at 12:00 p.m. on the Vanguard baseball field.
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