COSTA MESA, Calif. – With rain flipping a GSAC opening series on the road to the friendly confines of home field, Vanguard University welcomed San Diego Christian and took both contests. They won Game One by a 10-1 score in only five innings and then held on for a 6-3 victory in the second.
What Happened? Opening the double header, the Hawks struck first during their first trip to the plate. The Lions took advantage of a throwing error to score two runs in the bottom of the same inning and take the lead. With the bases juiced and two outs punched, the team could not bring anymore score in and ending with a 2-1 edge. During their next trip to the plate, they scored off a triple from Belle Herrera (SR/Riverside, CA) but also stranded a pair of runners – their fifth of the game. The Lions light up the scoreboard in the third to the tune of four runs. Sneaky hits and stealth base running allowed Taylor Radtke (SR/Tucson, AZ), Ariana Huffman, Alana Rangsuebsin (FR/Whittier, CA), and Johanna Lewis (SR/Madera, CA) to score. They could have reached the run-rule threshold, except their left their sixth and seventh runners on the bases. Bianca Morales (FR/Spring Valley, CA) took the game into her own hands and with a swift swing of the bat, she blasted a three-run shot to end the game.
A bases loaded single up the middle from Klopfenstein scored the first run of the nightcap for the Pride. They poured it on to take a 5-0 lead after their first trip to the plate. Off Morales' single and the bobble by the Hawks in right field, both Herrera and Angelina Lopez (JR/Riverside, CA) would score. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Radtke and Hannah Corrado (SO/Cypress, CA) put the Blue and Gold up by five. The Hawks put up a spirited comeback attempt, netting three runs in the top of the sixth inning to close it to a 5-3 score. Morales blasted it off the fence in left field, before scoring on the Radtke single down the line. Holding a three run edge, the Pride just needed three outs to secure the win and the sweep.
Why It's Important? With the switch of sites and the subsequent relocation of the April 16th and 17th double headers, this now means the Pride will play 18 straight home contests before finishing the year with 12 consecutive on the road. Eight games into the home stand, the Lions have won seven of them, including four in a row. Vanguard has won 17 straight against SDC and holds an all-time record of 25-7.
Top Performers: Vanessa Dwyer (SR/Temple City, CA) (7-2) picked up her sixth straight win by allowing only one run and three hits. In the box, Lewis was 2-3 with an RBI and three runs scored while Morales record three of the teams seven RBI. Samantha Vargas (FR/Grand Terrace, CA) picked up her first win of the year (1-1) allowing three runs off eight hits. Lopez and Morales were both 2-3 while Radtke drove in two of the teams five RBI.
What They Said: Bianca Morales - "I feel like my walk off really gave the team good momentum and we brought it in to the next game which helped us sweep the double header. Overall I just had a good hitting day and we just came out swinging today."
What's Next: Tomorrow, Saturday, March 13th against San Diego Christian College at 12:00 p.m.
#ClawsUp
