COSTA MESA, Calif. — Vanguard (3-1) and Benedictine-Mesa (2-4) faced off again in a double header after 20th ranked Vanguard won the first game of the series. With a back-and-forth battle in the previous match up, a struggle was almost expected, but the Lions pulled out a series win, 2-1. The Lions came with their gloves ready, and made Benedictine-Mesa leave multiple players on base in both games. In the end, Benedictine-Mesa won the first game 3-2, but Vanguard answered by winning the second contest in dominant fashion by a score of 11-2.
Game One: Benedictine-Mesa 3, Vanguard 2
The first game started off quick with both teams putting up zeros in the first two innings. Benedictine-Mesa put up a run with a homer in the third, but Vanguard was quick to answer as Tanner Perry (JR/El Cajon, CA) hit a single to the shortstop driving in Bryce Wetherell (JR/Chattaroy, WA). In the fourth, Benedictine-Mesa scored and held the lead until the fifth inning when Brandon Sandoval (SR/Fallbrook, CA) hit a home run out of left field, his first of the season. Benedictine-Mesa came back in the sixth with another home run and Vanguard couldn't come back. Tyler Skinner (JR/Dos Palos, CA) started on the mound for six innings until handing it off to Tyler Steele (SO/Kingsburg, CA) (1-1).
Game Two: Vanguard 11, Benedictine-Mesa 2
After the break, a whole new Pride came out onto the field. While the Lions seemed to have trouble at the plate in the first game, there was no trouble in the second. Benedictine-Mesa tried to take the lead quick with a run in the first inning, but Vanguard was not going to go down easy. The Lions got Sandoval on base immediately on a walk, and Sandoval used it to his advantage not only stealing second but also third base. Trai Patrick (SR/Everett, WA) saw an opportunity and hit a double to right field to drive in Sandoval. Benedictine-Mesa walked Michael Fuchs (JR/Irvine, CA) and Jacob Leal (JR/Grapevine, TX) to bring in Perry, and then Patrick ran in on a wild pitch giving the Lions a two run lead. The Lions weren't done. Shane Elias-Calles (JR/Mission Viejo, CA) hit a sacrifice ground ball to bring in Fuchs, and the Lions ended the first inning with the score at 4-1.
The second inning followed suit with Benedictine-Mesa gaining a run and Vanguard answering with two of their own curtesy of a sacrifice fly by Brock Eissman (SR/San Clemente, CA) and a RBI single by Patrick. In the third inning, Vanguard solidified their lead with five extra runs. Zach Nelson (SO/Clovis, CA) hit an RBI single, Eissman brought in two with a single to right field, and Patrick brought one in on a fielder's choice. At the end of the third, the score was in Vanguard's favor at 11-2 and remained their until the end.
It wasn't just the hitting that won the second game for the Lions though, the pitching and fielding kept Benedictine-Mesa at bay as well. Alex Camacho (JR/Stockton,CA) (1-0) started for the Lions and earned his first win of the season. He stayed in five innings before giving Akoni Arriaga (SR/Wailuku, HI) the mound. Arriaga grabbed two strike outs and then handed the ball over to Kurt Gairing (JR/Corona, CA) who closed out the game. The infield held down the diamond well and left eight Redhawks on base with stellar fielding from Perry, Elias-Calles, and Leal. Sandoval led in hits today, going 3-4 for the day, while Eissman and Patrick were tied with three RBI's each.
Next Game: Tuesday, January 31st against Saint Katherine College at 2:00 p.m.
-GOLD PRIDE-
