Costa Mesa, Calif. VU Baseball Field - No. 2-ranked Concordia University defeats Vanguard University 9-7 in the Lions' GSAC opener. J.T. Truhett went 4-5 at the plate in the first conference loss for the squad.
The bats were alive in the first conference game for the Blue and Gold. Vanguard (8-3, 0-1) posted 14 hits and Concordia managed 12.
The Eagles broke open the 7-7 tie in the top of the 9th inning, scoring Matt Palmer and Ryan DiMascio off a double by Matt Taylor.
Entering the top of the seventh inning, the teams were in a dead lock at 2-2. Concordia exploded for 5 runs in the top half of the inning. John Doering scored the first run on a bases loaded walk. Chris Kuber singled, scoring Kyle Konicek and Ty Holm. Chris Lemus hit a sacrifice fly to score Dave Peterson. Tony Harkey Jr. scored the fifth run of the inning on an RBI bunt from Palmer.
The Pride rallied to trim the Eagles lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the 7th inning. Eric Sanchez scored the first run off a double from Truhett. David Kiriakos knocked a sacrifice fly into center field, scoring Adonis Tountas. Truhett scored the third run on a throwing error by Concordia.
Vanguard tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth inning on RBI singles by Tountas and Kiriakos.
Tountas, 3-5 with three runs, and Bryce Arroyo, 2-4, were offensive leaders for the Pride along with Truhett.
Doering was the leading batter for the second-ranked Eagles (10-5, 4-1) earning two hits on his three plate appearances. Palmer and Kyle Konicek both went 2-4 with scored runs.
Concordia starter Brent Clapper (3-0) allowed five runs off 11 hits in his 6 innings in command of the mound. Reliever Josh White (2-1) earned the win giving up only two runs on three hits, striking out three of the 10 batters he faced.
J.R. Bromberg (1-1), the Lions starter, allowed seven runs during his 6.1 innings. Tucker Woods (0-1) allowed two runs in the top of the ninth inning, which proved to be the game-winning runs.
Game two of the four game conference series against Concordia is scheduled for March 2, beginning at 2:00 p.m. on the Lions' home diamond.
