SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Rebounding nicely from a loss earlier in the week, the 9th ranked Lions (35-10-1, 20-5) took care of business in the first game of a weekend series with The Master's College (RV) (29-15, 14-11). Sean Isaac (SR/Redondo Beach, CA) struck out nine batters over eight innings of work on the hill to lead Vanguard to a 6-1 victory at Lou Herwaldt Stadium.
The Pride wasted no time lighting up the score board as Brandon Sandoval (JR/Fallbrook, CA), the first batter of the day, blasted a homer over the left field fence. Brock Eissman (JR/San Clemente, CA) followed suit in the next inning by firing a bomb over the right field fence and giving the Lions a 2-0 lead. As Isaac (12-1) continued to go three up, three down with the Mustang hitters, the Blue and Gold scored two more runs in the third inning. Kevin Bettencourt (SR/Modesto, CA) scored from second base on a triple by Sandoval, who was then brought home off the bat of Paul Keating (SR/Oceanside, CA). Eissman jacked his second homer of the day, this time bringing home Jose Rojas (SR/Anaheim, CA) for his third RBI of the day. That marked the end of the scoring for the Lions and the advantage was enough to withstand a scored by TMC in the eighth inning. Michael Ostrea (SR/Buena Park, CA) came in to face the final six batters of the game.
"As a competitor I embrace the challenge and the opportunity to go head to head with an opponents best guy every Friday," Isaac said after the win." All we can do as a team is prepare during the week the best we can and let the results play out however they do."
Eissman was the offensive king of the day with his 3-4 hitting and two homers while Sandoval provided nice back up going 2-4 with two ribbies and two scores on the base paths. Keating tacked on two hits as the trio combined for seven of the nine hits for the Pride. Inside the other dugout, only one member of the Mustangs was able to record multiple hits on the day – Pearson Good. TMC struck out 11 times compared to only six for the Lions.
The two squads will be right back at it tomorrow, April 23rd, starting at 11:00 a.m. for double-header action which is important for both teams in seeding within the Golden State Athletic Conference.
-GOLD PRIDE-
