Fresno, Calif. - FPU Diamond - Fresh off an 8-5 loss in last night's game, the Vanguard Lions returned to Fresno Pacific for game two of a four-game GSAC baseball series. Taking on the No. 17-ranked Sunbirds for the second time in less than 24 hours, the Lions fell just short, losing by a gut-wrenching 12-11 margin.
FPU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning off Vanguard starter Gabriel Garcia, but the Lions roared right back with a three-run third inning. An FPU balk plated VU's first run while Brandon Young notched a run-scoring single and Bryce Arroyo ripped an RBI-double to give the Lions a 3-1 lead.
Vanguard added a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings to expand VU's lead to 7-1. Eric Sanchez singled home Kyle Willet for VU's first run in the fourth and David Kiariakos scored on a wild pitch to complete VU's scoring in the fourth, before John Collins slammed a two-run homer in the fifth, scoring Arroyo.
The Sunbirds shaved a run off VU's six-run lead by manufacturing a single run in the bottom of the fifth without the aid of a hit. The hosts turned a pair of hit batters, a wild pitch, and a ground out into FPU's second run of the game.
Michael Castello delivered a two-out single to send J.T. Truhett home for VU's eighth run, giving Garcia an 8-2 advantage as he took the mound in the bottom of the sixth for Vanguard. Unfortunately, things got rough for Garcia in the home half of the sixth, as he walked the first batter of the inning. Vanguard called in Ruben Orosco from the bullben to relieve Garcia, but the inning would soon get out of control as the Sunbirds exploded for ten-run inning off a combination of Garcia, Orosco, and Kevin Ponzo. The ten-run outburst charged the Sunbirds into the lead for the first time in the game, turning the tables on the Lions, who now trailed 12-8.
Vanguard clawed back with a run in the seventh inning and picked up two more in the top of the eighth. Jordan Mould picked up his first hit of the day, a one-out RBI-single to score Castello, and Ethan Harper lofted a sacrifice fly to bring home Willet with VU's 11th run.
That would be as close as the Lions would get as they went down in order in the ninth, losing 12-11. Orosco took the loss for the Lions, as he was tagged with six runs on six hits in one-third of an inning of work. Garcia finished his day after 5.1 innings of work, giving up five runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out six Sunbirds. Ponzo pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits, four walks, and struck out four batters. Collins ripped three of VU's 15 hits, while Sanchez, Young, Arroyo, and Castello tallied two hits apiece.
Vanguard slips to 9-11 overall and 1-9 in GSAC with today's loss. The Lions and Sunbirds were scheduled for the series-closing double header tomorrow at Vanguard, but the twinbill has been postponed due to the expected storm arriving in Southern California. A makeup day will be announced at a later date.
