LA MIRADA, Calif. - After a tight 10-9 loss in Saturday's opener, No. 24 Vanguard (28-18) rallied to post a huge 11-2 win over Golden State Athletic Conference opponent Biola in the nightcap. GSAC Pitcher of the Week Clayton Voechting (SR/Temecula, CA) (7-4) notched the victory, while catcher John Collins (SR/Fallbrook, CA) paced the Lions offensively with a single, a double and a homerun in game two.
J. Collins went 7-for-11 to hit .636 in the series with three doubles, two jacks and four RBIs. His slugging percentage against the Eagles was an incredible 1.455 on the week. On Saturday alone, he was 5-for-7 at the plate.
Vanguard out-produced the Eagles 16-13 in the hitting department in game one, but The Pride committed a season-high five errors and left 12 stranded in the close loss.
Six players tallied multiple base knocks in the opener. A team-high three of the hits belonged to third baseman Grey Younger who also stole two bases in the contest.
Taylor McKnight (JR/Mission Viejo, CA) went yard in the top of the ninth, cranking a two-run dinger over the left field fence to bring the score to 10-7. Nick Rodda (SR/Santa Rosa, CA) and Brandon Sandoval (FR/Fallbrook, CA) brought in VU's remaining runs with a sacrifice fly and a base hit, respectively, but Biola got out of the frame with its one-run edge intact.
Rodda, Sandoval, McKnight, John Schwer (SR/Burbank, CA) and J. Collins each managed two hits in the loss for the Lions.
The nightcap was a different story entirely, as Vanguard went up early and continued to stretch its advantage until the final frame.
McKnight hit another four-bagger in the victory to go 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored,
Vanguard amassed five stolen bases in the seven-inning game to match its season-high.
Bret Collins (JR/Manhattan Beach, CA) and Ian Sakry (SR/Long Beach, CA) combined for four hits, with two apiece, while all-nine batters in the Lions' lineup recorded base knocks in the affair.
Voechting pitched six innings, gave up five hits and allowed just one earned run. He struck out three in the performance.
Johnny Fageaux (JR/Rossmoor, CA) came in to close in the final frame and K'ed two while getting three-straight outs.
The Blue and Gold's next game is on Tuesday April 22 at home. VU will host Bethesda in a single nine-inning competition, scheduled to start at 3:00 pm.
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