Costa Mesa, Calif. - The Vanguard Lions kicked off the 2011 baseball season with a dominating victory over visiting La Sierra University. Vanguard, led by Brandon Young's three hits, two RBIs, and two runs, defeated the Golden Eagles 15-0 in the season-opener for both teams.

The Lions sent five pitchers to the mound to combine for a two-hit nonconference shutout. Gabriel Garcia took the hill to make his first start as a Lion and posted a smooth and quick first inning, striking out two of the first three batters he faced. Walking one and striking out two more in a three-inning outing, Garcia did not give up a hit before he handed the pitching job over to Corey Kohnke in the top of the fourth. Kohnke matched Garcia's three innings of work as he gave up a hit, walked one and struck out five batters out of ten batters faced. Mike Leal, Tucker Woods, and Joseph Vega III contributed an inning apiece to the combined shutout for Vanguard.

Meanwhile, the VU offense was busy attacking the Golden Eagle pitching. LSU starter Kenneth Curiel set down the first six Lions in a row before the hosts posted a four-run third inning, ignited by Brandon Arroyo's leadoff double. Sean Wilson, Tyson Leighton, and Kyle Hardman chipped in RBIs in the inning to give VU the 4-0 lead. Vanguard took advantage of some erratic pitching in the fifth inning when the Lions tacked on three more runs, highlighted by a two-run double by Jeremiah Mejia.

Leading 7-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lions used four free passes, one hit batter and five singles to double their lead over La Sierra. Arroyo had the only multi-RBI hit in the inning, giving him two hits, two runs, and two RBIs on the day. Vanguard's final run came in the bottom of the eighth on Young's final hit and RBI of the day.

LSU drops to 0-1 and Garcia picked up VU's first win of the season as the Lions will return to the field on Friday on the road at CSU San Marcos in another 2:00 p.m. nonconference encounter.