COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Lions (10-5, 7-3) pulled out a closely contested game against the visiting San Diego Christian Hawks (3-11, 2-9), as they won 4-3 in the first of a three games series between the two schools. Although they committed three errors on the day, they were able to provide enough offense to secure the victory.
Sean Isaac (SO/Redondo Beach, CA) took the mound as the starter, and provided yet another quality outing, limiting the Hawks to four hits over the course of six innings, striking out four and only allowing one earned run. However, the visiting team would be quick to capitalize on some sloppy fielding in the first inning, dropping the Lions into an early 0-2 hole after an error and a balk. Isaac and the rest of the defense would pick things up over the next eight innings though, and limited the Hawks to only one run after another error in the fifth inning.
The Lions would respond quickly and scored in the bottom of the first inning when Jose Rojas (JR/Anaheim, CA) was able to send Brandon Sandoval (SO/Fallbrook, CA) home on a fielder's choice infield play. The offense would not stop there, and the bats continued to stay hot in the second inning where Vanguard would take the lead.
After both David Stone (SR/Huntington Beach, CA) and Paul Keating (JR/Oceanside, CA) were hit by a pitch in back to back at bats, Kevin Bettencourt (JR/Modesto, CA) was able to get on base with a walk to load the bases with one out. Sandoval would step up and hit a sacrifice fly to right field, sending Stone across the plate and Keating to third. At this point Justin Davis (SR/Los Angeles, CA) would come in to pinch run for Bettencourt, and his smarts on the base paths would end up earning the Lions an additional run when he was picked off stealing second but held off the tag long enough in a pickle to have Keating cross the plate for the run, and giving the Lions a 3-2 lead.
After the Hawks tied things up in the fifth, the Lions were able to earn the important go-ahead run in the seventh inning when Keating led off the inning with his fourth triple of the season down the left field line. The next batter was Taylor McKnight (SR/Mission Viejo, CA), and he did not have Keating wait long to score, as he sent a single through the left side, putting Vanguard up 4-3. From there Marshall McKinnon (SR/Los Gatos, CA) took over and struck out three batters over three innings to earn the win.
The Lions will look to continue their winning ways tomorrow as they host the Hawks and close out the series with a double header. The games will be played in Costa Mesa, with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00am.
-GOLDPRIDE-
