By Beth Renkoski
04/25/09
VU splits with Westmont, Carls and Jessup throw complete games on Senior Day
Costa Mesa, Calif. - Senior right-handers Chris Carls and Richard Jessup celebrated their last collegiate game on the Vanguard baseball field with complete-game efforts on the mound for the Lions. Going the distance, Carls got the decision in VU's 4-3 loss in game one while Jessup earned the 8-2 victory in game two.
The Warriors took the first lead in the top of the first inning when Sam Wiley hit a solo home run for the visitors. Vanguard tied the game in the bottom of the third when Jacob Wood walked and eventually scored on a two-out double by Josh Manzano.
Westmont reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth on a solo shot by Mark Boujikian. The Warriors then padded the lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the fifth. Westmont's rally started with two outs, as Brent Meschuk singled and stole second base. A walk to Wiley brought up Boujikian again. Boujikian ripped a run-scoring single and Colten Christianson followed suit to build the three-run deficit against the hosts.
The Lions would get one run back in the eighth inning on Eric Krzysiak's third home run of the season, a solo shot off Westmont starter Drew Dowl. Vanguard came within a run in the bottom of the ninth as Wood walked for the second time to begin the rally. Wood advanced to third on a one-out single by pinch-hitter Brett Halstead. While pinch-runner Dan Black was caught stealing from first to second, Wood scored to bring the Lions within one run, 4-3. Dowl induced a pop up to end the game to earn the complete-game victory for the Warriors.
Carls (2-6) scattered seven hits and struck out seven Warriors while pitching his first complete-game of the season.
Vanguard jumped on the Warriors quickly in game two, posting five runs in the bottom of the first inning off Warrior starter Keith Johnson. Johnson did not last the inning though as Nick Akins homered to put the Lions on the board and the next four Lions reached base. Keegan Freeman laced a two-run single and Derek Craddock cracked a one-out, two-run single to cap VU's five-run inning.
Although the first inning rally would be enough to gain the split, the Lions added two more runs in the second when Ethan Gentry and Akins scored on an sacrifice fly by Manzano and an RBI double by Krzysiak.
Westmont got one run back in the top of the fifth, but the Lions countered that run on shortstop Brett Siegmund's posted his senior highlight of the day with his fifth round-tripper of the season.
Jessup held the Warriors to six hits and struck out four batters as he earned his fourth victory of the season.
Akins and Krzysiak had three hits apiece, combining for more than half of VU's 11 hits. The Lions moved to 19-26 overall and 13-22 in GSAC while the Warriors slid to 16-30 overall and 12-23 in GSAC.
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
