FULLERTON, Calif. - After falling in game one to Hope International, the Lions fought back to claim game two 11-5 over the Royals. Vanguard registered 10 hits in game one and nine in game two to improve to 30-14 overall and 17-9 in conference play. 

Game 1: Vanguard 7, HIU 12

Despite taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning and extending it to two in the third, the Royals evened the game in the third when they posted two. Hope International tallied three more in the fourth to go ahead 5-2, until VU added a pair in the top of five when Caleb Squire (SR/Arvada, CO) singled and Sam Neufeld (SR/Indio, CA) homered. The Royals responded with four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth to take 11-5 control. The Lions grabbed one run in the sixth and seventh to cut the lead down, but HIU added a final run in the bottom of the eigth to secure the 12-7 win. Vanguard totaled 10 hits, with three from Joe Johnson (SO/Medford, OR) and two from Squire and Neufeld. 

Game 2: Vanguard 11, HIU 5

The Blue and Gold bounced back immediately with a four run first. Landon Riker (JR/Marysville, WA) led off with a single and Johnson doubled down the left line for one RBI. Johnson scored on a wild pitch and Chad Sutton (SO/Scottsdale, AZ)'s single to left was good for two RBI. Hope International posted a run in the second, but the Lions came off a three run homer from Grady Conner (JR/Costa Mesa, CA). The Royals' offense continued to challenge the Lions, and they fired back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. In the top of the fifth, Squire send one over the fence with Maxx Mahon (SR/Lexington, KY) on base for a 9-5 lead. In the top of seven, Squire was hit by a pitch and Neufeld hit a home run for the 11-5 cushion entering the final Royal at bat. Jared Greer (SO/Anaheim, CA) closed out the game and Schuyler Hill (SR/Long Beach, CA) earned the win after 3.1 innings with five strikeouts. 

Next Game: Saturday, April 13th against Hope International in Fullerton, CA starting at 11 a.m. 

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