Santa Clarita, Calif- In the first game of a four-game bill, the Lions offense struggled to keep up with the Mustangs. Vanguard would eventually fall to The Masters College 7-2 at Reese Field.
The Mustangs scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Tanner Leighton singled through the left side before stealing both second and third bases. He scored on a single up the middle by JT Adams. The Master's added to its lead in the second inning. When Bryan Lucas was hit by a pitch, Sloan James entered the game to run the bases for him. James scored the second run for the Mustangs on a double to left field by Parker Price.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Mustangs blew open the game, putting up three runs. The inning opened with a walk to Jared Otto. Two batters later, Adams homered to right field, scoring two runs. The next batter, Joe Riddle, singled before scoring on a triple from Ben Ives.
The Master's College added to its 5-0 lead, putting up another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Adams doubled to left field, before scoring two batters later on an RBI double by Lucas.
The Lions broke through the scoring barrier in the sixth inning. After seven batters struck out in the first five innings, the Pride scored its first run of the day. It came on a double to center field by Jake Domingos. Sean Wilson scored the run, after reaching base on a single to the shortstop.
The scoring continued for the Mustangs in the bottom of the sixth frame. Cody Harris came home on a sacrifice fly to center field by Otto. Harris reached on a single, advancing to third base on a double to left field by Leighton.
With a score of 7-1 after six innings, both teams failed to score any runs in the seventh and eighth innings. The Lions added on more run on the day, however it was not enough as the Lions still trailed by five runs. After Kyle Hardman was walked, he advanced to second base on a single from Mario Romero. Both players advanced another base on a wild pitch. Hardman would score the Blue and Gold's final run of the game on another wild pitch.
After a weekend of great hitting, the bats for the Lions seemed to be left in Costa Mesa. Vanguard had only five hits on the day all by different batters, with only Hardman and Wilson crossing the plate. Domingos was the only Vanguard player with an RBI during the contest, and the Pride will need to have a better offensive outing to come back and win the four-game series with TMC.
For the Mustangs, the offense was flowing scoring seven runs on 12 hits. Adams led the team with three hits, three RBI, and two runs. Leighton added two hits and one run himself. Ives rounded out the leading contributors with two runs and an RBI.
Starting on the mound for the Pride was Robert Purpura (0-1), who made his third start of the season and collected his third loss. He went four innings giving up five runs on six hits. Reliever Corey Kohnke gave up one run and two hits in his inning of action. Tucker Woods finished the game for the Lions, giving up four hits and one run in the 13 batters he faced for the match.
The Master's College pitcher Charlie Gillies (4-1), dominated the Lions in his eight innings on the hill. He gave up only one run on four hits, with nine strikeouts. Closer James Scott gave up one hit and one run in his one inning of pitching. He walked three batters including two wild pitches.
The win boosts The Master's record to 12-4, 3-0 in conference play. The loss drops the Lions under .500 for the season with seven wins and eight losses. Vanguard sits with a 3-2 record in GSAC competition.
These two teams meet again tomorrow, March 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at Reese Field on the campus of The Master's College. The Lions will look to rebound and even the series at one game apiece.
