COSTA MESA, Calif. – Vanguard took on non-conference opponent University of British Columbia (4-4) on Tuesday at the VU Baseball Field and tallied its sixth win to move to .500 (6-6) on the 2013 season. The Lions defeated the Thunderbirds 9-3.

Pitcher Scott Simmons (Murrieta, Calif.) started the contest for the Pride and went seven innings, striking out one and walking two. He gave up six hits and two runs and earned his third (3-0) win of the year.

Vanguard wasted no time putting runs on the board in the first, scoring four by way of two UBC errors and three singles from seniors Jason Ochart (Glendale, Calif.), Bryce Arroyo (Brea, Calif.) and Matt Avery (Los Alamitos, Calif.).

The Pride tacked on another pair of runs in the second to take a 6-0 lead after Arroyo garnered an RBI base-knock to short, scoring junior Thomas Mobley (Anaheim, Calif.). Next up was fourth-year Ellis Whitman (Seattle, Wash.) who reached base on a single to right which Avery followed up with his                      second hit of the day, claiming his team-leading third RBI.

VU added a run in the third and senior Adonis Tountas (Lincolnwood, Ill.) gave the Lions two more runs in the sixth with his first homerun of the season to stretch the advantage to 9-0.

UBC eventually broke the shutout with two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to bring the final tally to 9-3.

Mobley, Arroyo and Avery registered three hits apiece in the win. Mobley went a perfect 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and runs scored.

The Lions are back in action on Wednesday at home versus Menlo. The game will begin at 2:00pm.

-GOLDPRIDE-