FULLERTON, Calif -- The Vanguard University softball team hit the road Tuesday for a doubleheader against Hope International, a team currently receiving votes in the NAIA poll. The Lions once again split with a Golden State Athletic Conference opponent, taking game one 3-1 in nine innings and falling in game two 4-2. VU goes to 26-10 overall and 5-5 in GSAC action, while HIU goes to 19-12 overall and 5-5 in league play.
What Happened? G1: Two of the best pitchers in the GSAC started game one, as Brianna Williams (FR/Chandler, AZ) and Allie Puente squared off for the first time this season. Each team got one hit in the third but neither side could score. Beyond that, hits and runners were scarce, as each pitcher collected one walk for the game, and the only error of the game, by Vanguard, did not come back to haunt the team.
Puente and Williams each sent down the sides in order in the seventh and then again in the eighth, even with the tie-breaker runner placed on second. A player was again placed on second to start the ninth, with Lailoni Mayfield (SR/Cerritos, CA) being the runner for the Lions. After a pop-out, Karly Colenzo (SR/Downey, CA) swatted a single to right field, with Mayfield halting at third, as the Royals got the ball in quickly. Bianca Morales (SO/Spring Valley, CA) then struck out, bringing up Kaylie Williams (FR/Moreno Valley, CA) with two down. The VU catcher took a couple of pitches but then Puente made a mistake, leaving a juicy ball in the zone. Kaylie Williams took advantage and blasted a home run to left, easily clearing the fence to put the Blue and Gold up 3-0.
Brianna Williams now had the lead and she got a strikeout and a groundout to start the bottom of the ninth. However, Hope then got a single to score their runner that was placed on second to cut the lead to 3-1. Unphased, the VU ace got a groundout to end the game, giving the Lions a big win on the road.
VU scored three runs on four hits, with one error and five runners left on base. The Royals had one run, three hits, and five runners left on base. Brianna Williams goes to 18-2 for the campaign, going the distance with seven strikeouts. Puente falls to 10-5, collecting nine Ks in the losing effort. Mayfield and Morales were the only other Lions to get a hit in the contest.
G2: Mayfield started game two off with a single to left and Colezno bunted her to second. With two outs, Morales ripped a double off the left-field fence to score Mayfield and put the Blue and Gold ahead 1-0.
Taking the lead into the home half of the first, Mia Portillo (SO/Buena Park, CA) strode out to the circle, getting the start after a solid outing against Arizona Christian over the weekend. Unfortunately, the first inning got away from her. HIU got four singles in a row to score two runs, with no outs being recorded. That would be the day for Portillo, as Brianna Williams returned to the circle in relief. She got three outs in a row to stem the tide and keep the gap at one run.
The VU bats then helped get the run back to bail out Portillo in the top of the second. Emma Noble (FR/Camarillo, CA) started the inning with a single and a sac-bunt got her to second. Ashley Klopfenstein (JR/Indio, CA) was up next, and she chopped a ball to the shortstop, who could not handle it. Picking the ball up, the Royal's defender tried to throw Klopfenstein out but zoomed the ball to the fence, allowing Noble to score and Klopfenstein to reach second. Even though the Lions could not bring Klopfenstein home, the rally left the game tied at 2-2.
Neither side could do much offensively for the next few innings, as each pitcher performed admirably. The next chance came in the top of the fifth, as Mayfield got to second for VU. However, a couple of outs left her there, sending the game to the bottom of the fifth. A one-out error allowed a runner for the Royals and the next hitter slammed a home run over the fence to put the hosts ahead 4-2.
Chasing two, Morales singled to start the top of the sixth to give the Blue and Gold some hope. But she was thrown out trying to advance on a fly-out, ending the chance to club one run back. Amarah Farley (FR/Hemet, CA) pinch-hit in the top of the seventh with one out and reached on an error, but a ground out and a fly out denied the Lions a chance to come back, as HIU won game two 4-2.
Vanguard posted two runs on five hits, with one error and six runners left on base. Hope International had four runs on eight hits, three errors, and five runners left on base. Brianna Williams went six, taking the loss to drop to 18-3, getting three Ks in game two. She also surrendered four hits and two runs, of which one was earned. Portillo did not record an out, giving up two earned runs on four hits. Morales had two hits in game two, with Noble, Mayfield, and Kaylie Williams each getting one. Only Morales had an RBI in game two.
Why is it Important? This is the fourth split series in a row between HIU and Vanguard and the fifth GSAC split this season for VU. The Lions also remain two games behind William Jessup, as the Warriors remain atop the GSAC standings at present.
What's Next? The Lions will play at home for two GSAC games against San Diego Christian on Friday, March 25, starting at 2:00 p.m.
