COSTA MESA, Calif. – Arizona Christian (18-13 / 11-13 GSAC) used a productive fifth inning to its advantage in the opener to claim an 8-4 Golden State Athletic Conference win and jumped out to an early lead in game two to take the nightcap 4-0.
The Lions' senior starter Scott Simmons (Murrieta, Calif.) made quick work of the Firestorm in the top of the first and was rewarded by his teammates in the bottom of the inning as junior Thomas Mobley (Anaheim, Calif.) led off with a huge triple down the right field line and was brought home on a sacrifice fly by senior Jason Ochart (Glendale, Calif.).
Mobley tried to get something going in the third with his second knock of the contest, a single to center field, but ACU's hurler Mike LaChapelle and the Firestorm ended VU's effort with an out following VU's next at bat.
In the fourth, the Blue and Gold senior duo of Nikko Tountas (Lincolnwood, Ill.) and Bryce Arroyo (Brea, Calif.) managed a pair of singles, but were left stranded as the frame came to a close.
Arizona Christian found its flint in the fifth and sparked a fire that saw four runs score on five hits. Junior Richard Perry (Fontana, Calif.) replaced Simmons a third of the way through the inning.
Simmons walked one and struck out four in his outing. Four of the six hits that Simmons surrendered came in the fifth.
Under Perry's watch ACU tallied another run in the eighth and three more in the ninth off of an Orrin Sears' blast, his second of the series, to stretch the margin to 8-1.
Vanguard put together a solid ninth and came within three runs but would get no closer as ACU picked up the final out of the contest after five Lions' hits. Juniors Ian Sakry (Long Beach, Calif.), Jack Daru (Bradenton, Fla.) and Francisco Torres (Cathedral City, Calif.) each hit doubles in the inning. Arroyo and Ochart also recorded knocks for VU.
LaChapelle earned the win for the Firestorm and moves to 4-4 on the season. He struck out six in the competition.
The Firestorm outhit the Pride 13-11 in the affair. Arroyo led the Blue and Gold offense with his 3-for-4 performance and Mobley and Ochart garnered two hits apiece in the loss. Torres went 1-for-2 with two RBI's and a run scored, while Ochart claimed two RBI's of his own for the Pride.
In the nightcap, ACU found itself up 3-0 after posting one run in the second and two runs in the third off of the Lions' senior starter Travis Tomsen (Riverside, Calif.).
Tomsen went five full innings but was relieved by junior Clayton Voetching (Temecula, Calif.) after giving up a lead-off single to ACU's Jake Wakamatsu in the sixth.
The Firestorm brought in one additional run following the VU pitching change to take a 4-0 lead.
Vanguard had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the seventh after singles from senior Ellis Whitman (Seattle, Wash.), Torres and senior Jordan Mould (Stockton, Calif.) but ACU's hurler Kevin Collinge and the Firestorm defensive staff got out of the inning unscathed.
Vanguard drops to 14-19 overall and 7-13 in conference play after the losses.
Vanguard heads to Santa Barbara for a three-game GSAC series against Westmont on March 27th and 28th. The Lions and the Warriors will also finish their February 11th contest which was called for darkness (tied at 9-9) in the 10th inning. The two teams split their first doubleheader of the season with WC posting a 10-2 win in the opener and VU taking the nightcap by the final of 4-2.
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