Costa Mesa, CA---Vanguard saw a three-game win streak snapped at the hands of GSAC rival Concordia at home on Tuesday afternoon, falling to the Eagles 6-2. Concordia scored five unanswered runs to break a 1-1 tie and cruised to the victory in game one of the four-game series this week.

The visitors drew first blood by scoring in the second frame, using an RBI single to grab a 1-0 lead off Vanguard starter Gabe Barcia. The Lions bounced back in the bottom of the third, tying the score after Jeremiah Mejia's groundout brought home Tyson Leighton, who had walked earlier in the inning.

CUI responded in the fifth, using a two-out rally to score two runs and grab a 3-1 advantage against Vanguard's ace. After Concordia pitcher Dean Persinger blanked the hosts in the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles added another run in the sixth, receiving a gift from the Pride, who recorded two errors to keep the inning alive. With the cushion at three runs, Persinger did not allow a hit in the sixth, seventh, or eighth innings.

Garcia was pulled by Vanguard coach Ralph Grajeda after six innings of work, and James McGeary pitched a scoreless seventh. However, Concordia tagged VU's second reliever of the game, Joseph Vega III, for a pair of runs in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 6-1, all but shutting the door on the Blue and Gold.

Vanguard was able to score a run in the ninth inning, when Kyle Hardman singled and was brought home by Jerry Pena. Yet that was all the Pride was able to muster up, and the visiting Eagles snagged the victory in the first of four games this week. Concordia (30-16, 19-14 GSAC), will return to Vanguard tomorrow for game two, before hosting the Lions on Saturday. Persinger grabbed the win for the Eagles, who outhit Vanguard 10-5, and stretched their win streak to 12 games.

Garcia was tagged with the loss, though he did not receive much help from the Lions' offense. Sean Wilson, Bryson Rahier, Hardman, Mejia, and Pena were the only Lions to record hits, while the VUSC defense struggled, committing three errors in the contest. Vanguard falls to 14-19 in conference play, 20-25 overall this spring.

Tomorrow's 3:00 p.m. matchup with Concordia is "Senior Day" on the Vanguard campus, and the Blue and Gold will recognize 14 seniors who will be playing in their final regular season home games. The seniors will be recognized at approximately 2:55 p.m. and the first pitch will follow at the conclusion of the ceremony.