Costa Mesa, Calif- Adonis Tountas blasted two home runs in the second game of the GSAC baseball double header to give the Lions a 14-5 victory over San Diego Christian. The Hawks defeated the Lions 5-4 in the first of the two games.
Game One: San Diego Christian 5, Vanguard 4
Bryce Arroyo put the Lions on the scoreboard first as he jacked a 3-1 pitch to deep left field in the second inning.
VU's starting pitcher Gabe Garcia struck out four batters in the first three innings before allowing his first hit. Victor Martinez, the leadoff batter in the fourth inning, knocked a double to center field and scored on a single by Jeff Lusardi to tie the game at 1-1.
Brandon Young walked home on a wild pitch, putting the Pride back up 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Young blasted a triple off the right center field wall to be in scoring position when the wild pitch brought him home.
Early in the fifth inning, the Hawks put runners on the corners with only one out punched. A base hit down the left field line from Sean Sweeney sent Alex Mann home to tie the game a 2-2. San Diego Christian took the lead 3-2 on a single to center field by Lusardi, scoring Tyler Bailey from second base.
However, the Lions would answer in the bottom of the fifth as Adonis Tountas singled, scoring Kyle Willett from third base. Hank Yates came up next and bunted home David Kiriakos from third base to put the Blue and Gold up 4-3.
Garcia lasted six innings on the mound for the Blue and Gold, allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out eight batters. Terry Unruh took over for Garcia in the top of the seventh. The Hawks rallied immediately off Unruh, scoring two runs to take the advantage 5-4. Lusardi greeted the VU right-hander with a double to right field and Dawsson Jones walked. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Christopher Pascual, and Jesus Castellanos singled to left center to plate the tying and eventual game-winning run.
Trailing 5-4, the Lions entered the ninth inning and put runners on first and second for a chance to win the game. Unfortunately, Kiriakos lined into a double play to end the game.
The trio of Kiriakos, Arroyo, and Young all went 1-for-3 as Vanguard was outhit 11-6. Kiriakos also walked twice, Young tripled and walked, and Arroyo blasted a home run and walked as well.
Hawks starter Adair Robles (5-6) went eight innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Luis Rivas earned his first save of the year, sealing the win for SDCC.
Unruh (0-1) was awarded his first decision of the season, a loss. Tucker Woods alloowed one hit in 1.2 innings of work and J.R. Bromberg commanded the ninth inning for the Lions, striking out two.
Game Two: Vanguard 14, San Diego Christian 5
Two of the first three Hawk batters walked to open the second game off VU starter Kevin Ponzo. Sweeny scored on a single to left field by Martinez, and Lusardi was batted home on a double by Jones. George Flynn's sacrifice fly scored the third run of the inning, putting San Diego Christian ahead 3-0 after one frame.
The Lions came out hot in the bottom of the first, as Adonis Tountas recorded a two-RBI inside the park home run. Yates singled to right field and Young was hit by the pitch to put runners on first and second. Arroyo then placed a two-run single up the middle, giving the Pride a 4-3 lead with three outs remaining in the inning. A squeeze bunt down the first base line resulted in Arroyo trotting past home plate to raise the Vanguard lead to 5-3.
SDCC added a run in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at five, but their runs became irrelevant as Vanguard blew the game wide open with an 8-run fifth inning. The Lions batted around in the inning, providing Adonis Tountas with the opportunity to open the inning with a double and follow in his second at bat with a two-run homer to left field. J.T. Truhett blasted a two-RBI double to left center and Eric Sanchez singled up the middle, also scoring two runners in VU's big inning.
The Lions added a final run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Arroyo doubled down the left field line and scored on a ground out by Truhett.
Tountas highlighted the nightcap for the Pride going 3-4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Yates was 2-4 with two runs, and Arroyo was 2-3 with two RBI and two runs.
San Diego Christian was paced offensively by Jones (3-3) with two RBI.
Ponzo lasted 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and striking our four Hawk batters. Woods (2-2) was awarded the victory in relief, allowing only one run and one hit in 2.1 innings on the hill.
Garrison McLagan (1-7) took the loss, allowing seven hits and 10 runs in the first four innings. Nick Bando allowed three runs in his 0.2 innings during the fifth inning.
The Lions, now 19-18 overall and 9-16 in GSAC, hit the road and travel to San Diego to face the Hawks on Saturday for another double header beginning at 11:00 a.m.
