COSTA MESA, Calif. - Vanguard concluded its series against San Diego Christian College with a pair of games Monday, sealng it off with two wins to earn the four game sweep. The Lions downed the Hawks 7-3 and 5-2 to improve to 17-2 overall and 7-1 in GSAC play.
Game 1: Vangaurd 7, SDCC 3
Garrett Molnar (JR/La Habra, CA) held the Hawks off the scoreboard through three, until giving up a run in the top of the fourth with the help of one error. The Lions didn't relinquish the lead long. Vanguard tallied two runs behind four hits in the bottom of four. The inning began with a Caleb Squire (SR/Arvada, CO) single, and with two outs, Joe Johnson (SO/Medford, OR)'s seventh homer of the year put Vanguard back on top. San Diego Christian equalized the game in the fifth, utilizing three hits to even the score at 2-2. In the sixth, Landon Riker (JR/Marysville, WA) singled down the left line and Grady Conner (JR/Costa Mesa, CA) capitalized with two outs with a single through the right side. In the bottom of the seventh, VU seized control of the game with a four run outing. Diego Altamirano (FR/Bothell, WA) walked and Ryan Aguirre (JR/Anaheim, CA) singled through the right side, then advanced a base on the throw. Sam Neufeld (SR/Indio, CA) sent them home next with a double down the left line. A hawk error on Squire's grounder scored Neufeld and a Mahon home run pushed the lead to 7-2 Lions. Although Jared Greer (SO/Anaheim, CA) gave up one run in the ninth, he struck out two to end the game.
Game 2: Vanguard 5, SDCC 2
In the bottom of the second, Julio Rivera (SR/Puerto Rico) was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. After Elijah Weeks (FR/Murrieta, CA) came in to pinch run, he stole second. Omar Ortiz (JR/Las Vegas, NV) singled to center field for the RBI and 1-0 Lion lead. Neither team posted another run until the four inning when the Lions posted three more. With one out, Johnson doubled down the right field line. Rivera and Conner drew back to back walks to load the bases. Ortiz knocked a single down the right field line for two RBI. Luke Woods (FR/Cave Creek, AZ) came up next and reached on a fielder's choice that scored Conner. Tyler Steele (SR/Kingsburg, CA) stayed steady on the mound through the fifth, holding the Hawks to three hits, no runs and five strikeouts. In the top of five, SDCC strung together three singles and a fielder's choice to add one run. With two outs and the bases loaded, Steele struck out a Hawk to end the inning. Joey Jennison (JR/Danville, CA) came in for VU in the sixth, and gave up one run to send the Lions into the bottom of six with a 4-2 lead. The Blue and Gold reestablished the three run difference during their next at bat. Rivera and Conner walked and Ortiz added his third single of the outing to load the bases. Travis McFarland (JR/Corona, CA) took advantage of the SDCC mishaps and hit a RBI single through the left side to go up 5-2. In the top of the seventh, Ryan Daugherty (SR/Laguna Niguel, CA) closed out the game with two strikeouts for the Lion victory.
"Looking ahead, we have to be hungry for wins and not get complacent," Mahon said. "This time of the year we maybe forget what a loss is like. We need to just really get after it and keep focused on what it takes to win."
Next Game: Friday, March 8 at 11 a.m. in a double header in Santa Clarita, CA against The Master's.
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