Tyson Leighton launched the first of four Vanguard home runs in the top of the second inning to give starting pitcher Brandon Godfrey a 1-0 lead. VU's second blast came the next inning when Brandon Young pounded a two-run shot for a 3-0 Vanguard advantage.

 

The Lions had padded the lead to 6-0 before the Eagles slipped Godfrey off cruise control with four two-out runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

 

Vanguard recovered three of the runs with a pair in the sixth and a single run in the seventh, but the biggest damage was done in the eighth when the Lions rallied for eight runs on seven hits. Biola's second reliever, Karl Stuck, who took over pitching duties for the Eagles in the top of the eighth, did not last long. He was the first of three Eagles pitchers to pitch to the Lions in the inning, surrendering a leadoff homer to Zach Leighton. Jacob Wood hammered a three-run homer for the other big hit of the inning.

 

Godfrey pitched eight full innings for the Lions, scattering 12 hits and four runs before handing the job over to reliever Jordan Oseguera to face the Eagles in the ninth. Godfrey struck out five and walked only one en route to his sixth victory of the season. 

 

Stacking on a 19-4 advantage by the ninth, Biola's three-run ninth was irrelevant as Vanguard wrapped up the 19-7 victory to improve to 14-3 in GSAC.

 

Dovel tallied four hits in five at bats with three RBIs and two runs scored while Wood collected a game-high four RBIs. The Leighton brothers, Tyson and Zach, and Young ripped three hits each for the Lions who improved to 23-5 overall. Biola dropped to 16-7 overall and 10-6 in GSAC.

 

The teams will have a rematch tomorrow at the Eagle field in La Mirada. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. for game two of the four-game series. The Lions will conclude the series with a home double header on Saturday.