COSTA MESA -- Vanguard softball was back for another doubleheader Saturday, as the team welcomed OUAZ to town. The Lions continued to struggle at the plate in game one, falling 1-0, but the offense woke up in game two, as VU won 10-0 in five innings. The split leaves Vanguard 25-9 overall and 4-4 in Golden State Athletic Conference action, while the Spirit leave 20-10 overall and also 4-4 in their GSAC record.
What Happened? G1: Brianna Williams (FR/Chandler, AZ) and Phoebe Popplewell entertained the crowd with quality pitching, as the two flummoxed the batting orders for most of the game. Unfortunately for the home side, Williams got into some trouble in the top of the third.
OUAZ got a leadoff single to start the frame and the runner then stole second. A sac-bunt got the runner to third and the next batter ripped a ball to the left side of the infield. Emma Noble (FR/Camarillo, CA) dove and got the ball but the extension left her down and out and her throw was too late to first. The runner on third was able to score easily on the play, which would turn out to be the only run of the game. Williams got the next two hitters out to give her offense a chance, but the Lions would be unable to score.
VU had chances in the bottom of the fourth and the sixth to either tie or take the lead. Bianca Morales (SO/Spring Valley, CA) took a two-out walk in the fourth and Kaylie Williams (FR/Moreno Valley, CA) followed that up with a single. Morales pushed the issue and was able to slide into third safely, allowing Williams to get to second. But Noni Chaves (SO/Ontario, CA) could only sky a ball to left, ending the inning.
Lailoni Mayfield (SR/Cerritos, CA) singled to start the bottom of the sixth and Karly Colenzo (SR/Downey, CA) executed the sac-bunt to get her to second. Kaylie Williams took a two-out walk but Chaves then struck out on a close pitch to send the Lions back to the dugout.
Both sides went up and down in order in the seventh, as OUAZ captured the win 1-0 win. The Spirit scored one run on three hits, leaving four runners on base. VU had three hits and six runners left on base. Brianna Williams falls to 17-2 on the season, as she recorded eight Ks and two walks in the complete-game effort. Popplewell goes to 6-4 and Alexandra McCuthcheon picks up her second save of the season.
G2: The Blue and Gold finally shrugged off whatever was hampering the offense in game two, pounding out 10 runs in five innings. Mia Portillo (SO/Buena Park, CA) had a clean inning in the first, allowing the Lions to get to work at the plate. Mayfield hit an infield single back up the middle to start the inning and Chaves bunted her to second. With two outs, up stepped Morales, who teed off on OUAZ starter McCuthcheon for a deep home run to left-center field to put VU up 2-0.
Portillo then had to work hard in the top of the second, as she gave up back-to-back walks to start the frame. A sac-bunt sent the runners ahead one base but two strikeouts from the Vanguard pitcher ended the threat.
Noble started the bottom of the second with a single and once more VU pulled out the sac-bunt to get her to second base. Adrianna Natividad (FR/Norwalk, CA) took a walk and each runner got to advance one base on a passed ball. Aeri Corral (FR/Corona, CA) then smacked a single to center that brought in Noble, with Corral ending up at second and Natividad sliding into third to beat the throw. A flared single from Mayfield out to right brought in Natividad and Chaves collected a sac-fly to bring home Corral, as the Lions took a 5-0 lead into the third.
Portillo once more had plenty of work to do in the top of the third, as an error, a walk, and a hit batter loaded the bases, giving the guests a chance to climb back into the game. But Portillo and the defense stood tall, getting two groundouts to keep the Spirit off the scoreboard.
The Lions put the mercy rule into effect in the bottom of the fourth. A single to center by Corral was immediately followed by a double from Mayfield, with Corral scoring on the play. Colenzo then poked a single through the right field to score Mayfield, bringing up Morales. The slugger demolished the first pitch she saw for her second home run of the day, putting VU ahead 9-0. Both Kaylie Williams and Noble reached on errors to keep the inning going after that. Kaylee DeMaio (FR/Simi Valley, CA) then made a pinch-hit appearance and she produced a single to left to bring home Amarah Farley (FR/Hemet, CA), who had pinch-ran for Williams.
Ahead 10-0, Portillo finished off the win by putting the Spirit down in order in the top of the fifth. She improves to 3-0 on the season, as the starter grabbed five strikeouts in the winning effort. McCutcheon falls to 11-5, giving up five runs on six hits. Vanguard got 10 runs on 11 hits, with one error and five runners left on base. OUAZ had two hits, two errors, and seven runners left aboard.
Morales went 2-for-3 in game two, pacing the team with four RBI. Mayfield had three hits to top the charts, going 3-3 in game two with two RBI. Noble and Corral each had two hits as well, with Chaves, Colenzo, DeMaio, and Corral each getting one RBI.
What's Next? The Lions will play a doubleheader against Hope International on the road on Tuesday, March 22, starting at noon.
