LEWISTON, ID. - Vanguard battled the Warriors in the second part of the four-game series, but game shy in both games by just one run. The Lions were bested 7-8 and 5-6 to Lewis-Clark State Saturday and were swept in the series with four losses. VU now boasts a 18-9 overall and 8-4 conference record.
Game 1: Vanguard 7, Lewis-Clark 8
Landon Riker (JR/Marysville, WA) singled to kick off the day, and Joe Johnson (SO/Medford, OR) and Maxx Mahon (SR/Lexington, KY) followed with back to back walks. Julio Rivera (SR/Puerto Rico) was walked and Sam Neufeld (SR/Indio, CA) got hit by a pitch to gives Vanguard the 2-0 lead. VU maintained the lead until the bottom of the fourth when the Warriors posted two runs off three hits to tie the game. In the top of the fifth, the Blue and Gold tallied one when Omar Ortiz (JR/Las Vegas, NV) knocked in Grady Conner (JR/Costa Mesa, CA). The 3-2 advantage didn't last long, because Lewis-Clark State responded with a three-run homer to go ahead 5-3. In the top of six, Caleb Squire (SR/Arvada, CO) doubled with one out and two consecutive Lions walks loaded the bases. Joe Johnson's grounder scored one and an Ortiz single to right center was good for a duo of Lion runs. VU held onto their 6-5 lead and added one more in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Mahon. In their final at-bat, the Warriors capitalized on a walk and when a batter was hit by a pitch. A three-run walk-off homer ended the game and served a 7-8 loss for the Lions.
Game 2: Vanguard 5, Lewis-Clark 6
The Warriors worked up a 3-0 lead in game two, while holding the Lions off until the top of the fifth. Luke Woods (FR/Cave Creek, AZ) singled up the middle and scored on an Ortiz double. A two RBI hit from Mahon made the score even at 3-3. The Warriors reclaimed a one run lead in the sixth, but solo home runs from Riker and Ortiz flipped the favor back to the Lions with a 5-4 score. In the bottom of the seventh, the Warriors earned the equalizer to send the game into extra innings. The Lions failed to score in the top of the eighth, and Lewis-Clark State sealed their sweep with one run and the 6-5 win. Ortiz ended the day with five hits, four RBI and one run.
Next Game: Vanguard returns home for a single game against the University of Antelope Valley on Tuesday, March 19th at 2 p.m. in Costa Mesa, CA.
