COSTA MESA, Calif. – Despite outhitting the Mustangs, Vanguard fell to 17-10 on the year after losing to The Master's College, 7-5, Friday afternoon. In the losing effort, the Lions were led by Taylor Knight's 2-for-3 hitting that included two runs batted in and a run scored. Brandon Sandoval (SO/Fallbrook, CA) also added two hits and two runs batted in. Paul Keating (JR/Oceanside, CA) led the Lions with three hits.
Sean Isaac (SO/Redondo Beach, CA) took the loss after allowing four runs in the first inning. Isaac's final line included allowing seven hits and five runs in five innings of work. The sophomore walked four and struck out only two batters.
The Mustangs threatened early in the game when they combined to score four runs on four hits off Isaac. Leading 4-0 heading into the third, The Master's added one more run off a sacrifice fly.
The Lions would finally get on the board in the top of the sixth when shortstop Jose Rojas (JR/Anaheim, CA) scored on a Taylor McKnight (SR/Mission Viejo, CA) RBI single. The Mustangs would respond in the bottom seventh to add two more runs.
Down 7-1 heading into the top of the eight, The Pride would produce a later rally that mirrored the Mustang's first inning by scoring four runs on four hits, including Sandoval's two-run RBI double. The rally proved to come up short, as The Pride was blank in the ninth to lose the game, 7-5.
Vanguard continues their road series with The Master's in a doubleheader Saturday, March 7. First pitch of the first game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
