CLAREMONT, Calif. – Vanguard softball persevered through a couple of close nonconference road games on Saturday, winning 4-3 and 3-2 in eight innings against Claremont-Mudd.
The Lions are now a perfect 4-0 on the season – the program's best start since 2018.
Vanguard came from behind in both games to nab the victories and received outstanding pitching performances from Brianna Williams (FR/Chandler, AZ), LeeAnne Miranda (FR/Westminster, CA) and Mia Portillo (SO/Buena Park, CA).
Game 1 - Williams went the distance to open the doubleheader, scattering eight hits and three runs while striking out five.
She allowed a first inning run to the Athenas on a two-out RBI single, but escaped further damage with the bases loaded.
Vanguard scored a run in four consecutive innings to open up a 4-1 lead.
In the second, Amarah Farley (FR/Hemet, CA) led off with a single and stole second, and advanced to third on an Aeri Corral (FR/Corona, CA) sac bunt.
Ashley Klopfenstein (JR/Indio, CA) cashed her in with a double but was nabbed at third attempting to stretch it into a triple.
No matter, the Lions returned in the third to take the lead. No. 4 hitter Kaylie Williams (FR/Moreno Valley, CA) provided the big hit, a two-out RBI double to right that scored Bianca Morales (SO/Spring Valley, CA) from first. Morales had drawn a walk to keep the inning alive.
Farley, who finished 2-for-2 with two runs, stroked a double to left field against Claremont starter Heather Shipley to start the fourth. Once again, Corral expertly moved her to third on another sac bunt.
Klopfenstein was hit by the pitch to put runners at the corners, when Sophia Kashou (FR/Anaheim, CA)'s grounder to second scored Farley for the 3-1 lead.
In the fifth, Vanguard continued to play station to station softball as Noni Chaves (SO/Ontario, CA) led off with a single to left. She moved to second on a groundout from Bianca Morales, and came around to score on an error by the Athena shortstop.
Armed with the 4-1 lead, Brianna Williams allowed just one hit to the Athenas from the second through fourth innings, but she ran into some trouble in the fifth.
Claremont put runners on first and second with back-to-back singles. Lauren Richards sacrificed them to second and third, and Ananya Koneti plated both with a 2-RBI single to cut Vanguard's lead to 4-3.
But Brianna Williams buckled down, inducing a double play in the sixth to wipe out a leadoff single. Claremont got a one-out single in the seventh, but Williams shut the door with consecutive strikeouts.
Game 2 - The Lions spread the wealth offensively as the first seven players in the batting order collected at least one hit. In the circle, Miranda and Portillo combined to limit the Athenas to just five hits.
The Lions overcame a 2-0 deficit to score single runs in their final three at-bats.
Claremont scored an unearned run in the fourth and took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on a Destiny Garcia RBI double.
Despite allowing a pair of runs, Miranda tossed 4.1 innings and walked just one while fanning three.
Portillo came on in the fifth with one out and Garcia perched on second following her double. She retired the next two Athenas on a pop out and ground out.
That set the stage for VU's comeback in the sixth. Kaylie Williams laced a one-out single and Kashou pinch ran at first. Farley's ground out to first moved Kashou into scoring position. Klopfenstein singled to advance Kashou to third, and she hustled home on the throw to give the Lions their first run of the game.
Vanguard still trailed by one though going into its final at-bat in the seventh. Mackenzie Hofmann (SO/Tujunga, CA) led off the frame smacking a double to right center. With Kylie Chen (JR/Pittsburg, CA) pinch running, Emma Noble (FR/Camarillo, CA) laid down a bunt to execute the sacrifice and move Chen to third.
Lailoni Mayfield (SR/Cerritos, CA) then lifted a fly ball to right that was deep enough to score Chen from third to tie the game at 2-2.
In extra innings for the first time this season, Chaves began the eighth placed on second per the international tiebreaker rule. Morales grounded out to shortstop to push Chaves up a base.
Kashou delivered an RBI single to score Chaves for the 3-2 Lion lead.
In the bottom of the inning, the Athenas had their chance to tie or take the lead with Garcia starting on second. Claremont advanced her to third on a sac bunt.
On a bang bang play, the Lions ended the game. Richards hit a comebacker to Portillo, who went to Morales at first for one out. Morales fired to the plate and nabbed Garcia, who looked to sneak home on the play.
Portillo did not allow a hit as she tossed 3.2 impressive innings of relief. She did not walk a batter and struck out a pair.
Claremont starter Richards went the distance, allowing nine hits and all three runs, two of which were earned.
What Was Said?: "I'm very happy with how my team competed today," said Head Coach Amber Freeman. "We didn't play our best softball but we fought through the tough moments and really came together as a team. Good teams find a way to win and we did that today."
What's Next?: The Lions return home for a doubleheader on Saturday against Marymount California. Game one begins at noon.
