COSTA MESA, Calif. — A Golden State Athletic Conference contest that took one and a half days to complete came to an end with a victory for the Lions with a score of 9-6 over Menlo College. Delayed due to darkness, the game was pushed to the morning of a doubleheader between the Oaks and the Pride. The game finished as dramatic as it was paused, with a three-run walk off home run from a true freshman. With the victory, the Lions improve to 3-4 and 1-0 in GSAC play while Menlo drops to 4-4 and 0-1 in conference.
Friday Game: Vanguard 9, Menlo 6 (13 innings)
Menlo jumped on an early start and had put up five runs by the fifth inning. Runs were few and far between for Vanguard who scored one run late in the third inning and another in the sixth. The first run for the Lions came from Julio Rivera who saw the opportunity from a Lucas Martinez single. Late in the third, Josh Weeks ran in taking advantage age of an error on the Oaks to move into scoring position. A bunt from Grady Conner advanced Chad Sutton to second, and Weeks dashed home on the throw. The Pride exploded into the bottom of the seventh to tie the contest at five and boost momentum. Halfway through the twelfth inning of play, the game was put on hold due to darkness and was continued the following morning.
The Oaks put up one run in the top of the twelfth, vying for the win. With two outs on the board, tensions were high and morale was low. Tanner Perry stepped up to the plate and knocked the pitch to far right field for a solo home run to keep the Lions alive and tie the contest at six runs a piece. Menlo added one run in the twelfth and took the lead. After two outs in the bottom of the inning, Perry stepped up to the plate and quickly saw a full count. Perry perfectly read the final pitch and sent it soaring deep into right field for a solo home run to keep the Lions alive. Michael Fuchs grounded out to first and moved into a thirteenth inning tied at six. The Vanguard defense shut down the Oaks in the top of the inning and Sam Neufeld was up to bat to start the bottom. Neufeld went down swinging and Shane Elias-Calles was up next, who singled down the center. Weeks sent a hit down the third base line and reached first on a throwing error. Elias-Calles also took advantage of the error and moved into scoring position. Sutton, a true freshman, took his turn in the box and perfectly connected with the pitch for a walk-off three-run home run to seal the deal for Vanguard.
Ryan Daugherty (2-0) picked up the victory after pitching four innings, two from the night before and two on the day. Before Daugherty took the mound, Jordan Dreibelbis pitched nine complete innings, allowing 10 hits and giving up five runs. Daugherty finished the game allowing four hits and gave up one run. Perry finished the game 2-4 at the plate, and Elias-Calles and Weeks went 2-7. Rivera was 2-5 in the box while Lucas Wetherell and Grady Conner finished the game 1-6 at the plate.
-GOLD PRIDE-
