Game one started in favor of the hosts, as the Blue and Gold jumped out to 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Vanguard's Nikko Tountas started the frame with a walk, and advanced to second on a balk from ACU pitcher Chris Freudenberg. Later in the frame, after a pinch runner was moved to third, left fielder Kyle Willet singled home the Lions' first run of the game and season to lift VU to the one-run advantage.

Arizona Christian answered in the third off Vanguard starter Scott Simmons, using a hit-by-pitch, passed ball, bunt, and a sacrifice fly to knot the game at one. The tie did not last long, however, as the Pride bounced back in the bottom of the third. A one-out single by right fielder Hank Yates started the push, and Bryce Arroyo followed with a single of his own. Tountas was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Alec Rosales doubled to right center to clear the bases and give the hosts the 4-1 lead. 

The score remained the same until the seventh inning, as VU starter Scott Simmons kept the Firestorm hitless through six frames before being relieved by Tucker Woods. Woods was rudely welcomed to the contest by ACU, who posted a pair of runs off the Lion's reliever to cut the Vanguard lead to just one run. Yet the Pride responded once more, scoring three runs in the seventh and adding a pair of runs in the eighth to take a 9-3 lead into the top of the ninth. Woods pitched a perfect ninth to seal the win for the Blue and Gold.

Simmons earned the win, while Freudenberg was handed the loss for the Firestorm. VU outhit the visitors 10-2, and was aided by three ACU errors. The Lions' Brandon Young and Michael Castello each posted two hits for the hosts, while Rosales notched a game-high four RBI.

Searching for their first win of the spring, Arizona Christian scored first in the second game. An RBI groundout by ACU's Mike Greco scored Eddie Aplin, and the Firestorm grabbed the 1-0 lead. Arizona Christian scored again in the top of the fourth, using a single from Jake Storrer to notch the second run of the game. 

A Nikko Tountas double put the Lions on the board in the bottom of the fourth, but with a runner on third and only one out, the Blue and Gold failed to bring home another run, and the Firestorm escaped the inning with the slim 2-1 lead.

ACU broke the game wide open in the fifth, scoring four runs on three hits and an error to snag the 6-1 lead. The Lions were able to push a run across in the bottom of the seventh and final inning on a Yates double that scored Eric Sanchez, but that was all ACU would allow. Vanguard left 11 men on base in the loss, a haunting statistic that might have cost the hosts a shot at getting back into the contest.

Lucas Hicks earned the win for the Firestorm, going 3.1 innings and giving up just one run. J.R. Bromberg was tagged with the loss for the Pride. ACU posted 11 hits to the Lions' seven, and now stands at 1-6 on the season after the split. Tountas and Yates paced the home squad, each recording a pair of hits and an RBI.

Vanguard, 1-1 overall, will host Madonna (MI) on Thursday in Costa Mesa. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.