Reid earned the Win in Game 1 |
Zach Leighton had 5 hits today |
Pesante was on base 4 times |
Masuda caught game 1 |
Costa Mesa, Calif. - Vanguard University blew away the rain and clouds the same time they blew away the Bethany Bruins today in a nonconference baseball double header. The Lions defeated the Bruins 11-4 in game one before no-hitting them in a 15-0 victory in the seven-inning game two.
Given the chance to play despite overnight rain, the Vanguard Lions came out hungry for runs and swinging the bats early for VU starting pitcher Bryce Reid. Vanguard scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning with Kip Masuda ripping a two-run double to highlight the inning. Although Bethany answered with a couple of runs in the top of the second as Mark LaMothe tagged Reid for a two-run homer to left field, they would never lead.
Vanguard added a run in the second and two more in the third to support Reid, who worked five complete innings. Reid, who gave up four runs on five hits, left the game with a 6-4 lead and recorded the win to improve to 2-0 this season.
Leading 7-4, the Lions came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh to post another three-spot on the scoreboard. Senior team captains Zach Leighton and Keegan Freeman combined to drive in all three runs for the Lions, essentially putting the game out of reach for the Bruins.
Peter Birdwell pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Reid, allowing only two hits and striking out four Bruins. He turned the mound over to Lance Abbott in the top of the ninth and Abbott struck out two of the three batters he faced to complete the win for Vanguard.
The Lions outhit the Bruins 12-5 in game one with Leighton and Freeman combining for five hits and four RBIs. Brandon Young and Brandon Pesante added two runs and two hits apiece and reached base eight times between them.
Vanguard thrived on the big inning again in game two. Posting an eight-run second and seven-run third inning, the Lions quickly took control of the game. The Lions hammered two Bethany pitchers for eight runs on seven hits in the second inning, ripping four extra base hits in a row to force the Bruins to relieve BU starter John Ballisty with Ryan Taylor. Pesante and Bryce Arroyo knocked in two runs each in the rally as VU gave Jason Dovel an 8-0 lead as he took the mound for his third inning of work for the Lions. Dovel completed five innings with two walks and two strikeouts before handing over a no-hitter to Jordan Oseguera.
Meanwhile, the Lions continued to pound Bruin pitching, adding seven runs on four hits and two errors in the third inning for a 15-0 lead. Young came up with the biggest hit of the game, a three-run homer right in the middle of the seven-run rally.
Oseguera struck out one batter in a perfect sixth inning and James McGeary maintained the no-hitter with a spotless seventh inning for the Lions.
Rattling the bats for 13 hits, the Lions settled for the 15-0 win and the nonconference sweep. Eric Krzysiak had three of Vanguard's hits, while Young, Zach Leighton and Tyson Leighton added two hits apiece to the Lion attack.
Vanguard, off to a tremendous start, improves to 8-1 overall with today's victories and the Bruins remain winless at 0-9. The Lions begin the GSAC season next Wednesday when they host Azusa Pacific with a 2:00 p.m. start in Costa Mesa.
Livestats
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
