WHITTIER, Calif. – Joe Johnson (SR/Medford, OR) homered twice and drove in seven to pace a 19-hit attack, and the Vanguard baseball team rolled to a 17-7 road victory in eight innings against Whittier in Monday's season opener.
All nine Lion starters registered at least one hit, led by Johnson's 3-for-4 performance. The first baseman tied the school record for most RBI in a single game. Kip Masuda and Brandon Young initially set the mark during the 2010 season against Fresno Pacific and Biola, respectively.
Travis Aversa (SR/Fountain Valley, CA) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI from the leadoff spot. Matthew Land (SR/Eugene, OR) was the third VU starter to sport a 3-hit game, as he stroked a pair of doubles and knocked in two.
In his Lion debut, Dane Nakatsuka (JR/Laguna Niguel, CA) hit 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.
Five VU pitchers made appearances, including starter Jesus Munguia (SO/Anaheim, CA), who scattered five hits and a pair of runs in three innings of work. Toby Welty (SR/Colorado Springs, CO), Zander Fletcher (JR/Costa Mesa, CA), Jackson Webber (SR/Bothell, WA) and Bryce Barnett (SO/Laguna Niguel, CA) all tossed an inning.
What Happened?: Vanguard exploded for seven runs in the top of the second inning. Cameron Hirahara (SR/Grover Beach, CA)'s ground out scored Tommy Rodriguez (JR/Yucaipa, CA) for the first run. Aversa and Nakatsuka followed with run-scoring singles, and then Johnson laced a two-RBI knock to left to make the score 5-0. Rodriguez drew a bases-loaded walk to score the sixth run, and Land's single completed the inning's scoring.
The Lions piled on three more runs in the third to increase the lead to 10-0. Rodriguez doubled to left to plate Isaiah Lee (SR/Santa Ana, CA), who had an RBI single earlier in the frame.
Whittier got a pair of runs back in both the bottom of the third and fourth to close the gap to 10-4, but Land's double in the fifth scored Johnson to widen the lead to seven.
Johnson delivered another big blow in the sixth as his three-run homer made the score 15-4 in favor of Vanguard.
Whittier collected a pair of runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh, while Johnson completed the scoring with a two-run bomb to right in the eighth as the Lions led 17-7.
Why Is It Important?: Vanguard won its fourth consecutive season opener. It was the most runs by a Lion squad in a season opener since scoring 17 against La Sierra on January 20, 2014. The Lions got off to a great start in a busy first week which includes five games.
What Was Said?: "It was a very good team win to start the season," said Head Coach Rob Pegg. "Munguia gave us a strong start, the bats got rolling and the defense was very sharp. Fun way to start the season."
What's Next?: The Lions play their home opener on Thursday, January 27 at 2:00 p.m. Fans are allowed to attend games at Dean Harvey Field.
