SURPRISE, Ariz. — No. 24-ranked Vanguard University took a break from home field play and traveled to Arizona for a weekend of games, including a GSAC series. Before the conference series, the Blue and Gold made a pit stop in Surprise, Ariz. to face Ottawa University — Arizona. After taking an early lead, the Lions found themselves in hot water against the Spirit in the sixth inning and struggled to bounce back, ultimately dropping the game with a score of 5-2. Vanguard drops to 14-16-1 on the season while the Spirit improves to 9-14.
Bryce Wetherell (SR/Chattaroy, WA) scored the first run of the day on a RBI single knocked to center field by Michael Fuchs (SR/Irvine, CA). Wetherell, who used his speed to his advantage to steal second and third, sparked the small rally in the frame to push the Pride to the early lead. Fuchs followed in Wetherell's footsteps and stole second and third, and scored on the throw as Josh Weeks (SO/Murrieta, CA) grounded out to second. Vanguard maintained the lead well into the sixth inning until the Spirit lit a fire under their offense and heated up the batter's box, putting up two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Michael Barker (FR/Ridgecrest, CA) pitched 4.2 innings, threw four strikeouts and walked two batters on 19 batters faced. The freshman RHP gave up four hits and no runs. Jared Greer (FR/Anaheim, CA) and Brandon Chambers (JR/Yorba Linda, CA) made brief appearances on the mound in the fifth. Chambers gave up one hit and two runs, and walked two batters. Jacob Farmer faced four batters in the sixth and seventh frames and gave up two hits. Farmer allowed one run and walked one batter. Josh Bailly (SR/Union City, CA) and Josiah Austin (FR/La Habra, CA) closed out the contest. Austin gave up the final two runs of the game and faced five batters. In the box, Tanner Perry (SR/El Cajon, CA) gave a 3-for-4 performance on the day, and Fuchs was 2-for-4. Julio Rivera (JR/Puerto Rico), Shane Elias-Calles (SR/Mission Viejo, CA), Lucas Martinez (SR/Fairfax, VA) and Chad Sutton (FR/Scottsdale, AZ) each were 1-for-4 at bat.
Next Game: Friday, March 16th against Arizona Christian University at 2:00 p.m.
-GOLD PRIDE-
