COSTA MESA, Calif. – The 2017 season kicked off with a bang for the preseason 20th ranked Vanguard Lions (1-0). It didn't start off pretty as the second inning got away from them, but in the fourth inning they found their stride and never looked back. The pivotal sequence of Michael Fuchs (JR/Irvine, CA)' double and Hunter White (SO/Galt, CA)'s bomb to left field gave Vanguard a lead they would not look back on. After the final out, the Lions captured a dominant 14-5 win over La Sierra University (0-1) including 12 unanswered runs.
The first inning was three up, three down by both sides. Then, in the second inning things escalated quickly as the Golden Eagles put up four runs. During Vanguard's next at bat, Trai Patrick (SR/Everett, WA) scored the opening run of the season. After the end of the third inning, La Sierra was on top 5-2. But that is when the tide turned in a drastic way. Midway through the at bat, the Blue and Gold had tied the contest. And they were not done. By the final of the frame, Vanguard had taken a 6-5 advantage. If that damage wasn't enough, during their next trip to the plate they blasted the scoreboard for five runs to take a commanding 11-5 lead. During that impressive stretch, White and Patrick fired off home runs and Fuchs and Brandon Sandoval (SR/Fallbrook, CA) recorded doubles to center field – totaling six RBI.
The final runs of the day were scored off a Tanner Perry (JR/El Cajon, CA) single, in the seventh inning, a right field single from White, and a wild pitch which brought Sage Voda (FR/Tehachapi, CA) across the plate. In his first game for the Pride, Fuchs was unconscious going 5-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Sandoval and White each went 3-5 and the duo combined for five runs and five RBI's. Shane Elias-Calles (JR/Mission Viejo, CA) led the team with 14 put outs in addition to his 2-4 day at the plate. Starter Chris Lumanlan (SR/Irvine, CA) went three innings before handing the ball over the Tyler Stele (1-0) who is awarded the opening victory of the season. Alex Camacho (JR/Stockton,CA), Akoni Arriage, Christian Sheehan (SR/Redondo Beach, CA), and Jake Mellenthin (SR/New Plymouth, ID) handled the final nine outs for the team to preserve the margin of victory.
Next Game: Friday, January 27th against Benedictine-Mesa at 2:00 p.m.
-GOLD PRIDE-
