SANTEE, Calif. -- Vanguard softball traveled down south to take on the Hawks of San Diego Christian Saturday for a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader. VU took both games on the day, winning 5-1 and 8-2 to improve to 36-12 overall and 15-7 in GSAC play. SDCC falls to 12-30 overall and 4-20 in league play.
What Happened? G1: The Lions picked up two runs to start the game, as they quickly put the pressure on the Hawks. Lailoni Mayfield (SR/Cerritos, CA) was hit by a pitch and Noni Chaves (SO/Ontario, CA) drove a ball down the left-field line for a double, with Mayfield rounding third and scoring in the process. Bianca Morales (SO/Spring Valley, CA) then reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder, with Chaves coming home to make it 2-0.
Brianna Williams (FR/Chandler, AZ) took the circle for VU in the bottom of the first and though she gave up a double and a walk, the VU starter let the defense do the rest to emerge without giving up a run. A groundout put one away and a lined ball was caught by Ashley Klopfenstein (JR/Indio, CA) at third, leading her to turn two as she got the runner closest to her out on the play.
The Blue and Gold got back on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, as Mayfield took a two-out walk. A single by Chaves was followed by a booming double to left-center field by Kaylie Williams (FR/Moreno Valley, CA) to put the Lions ahead 3-0. The inning soon ended and Brianna Williams gave up a run in the bottom of the fourth on a double, but she would lock it down from there.
Vanguard made it 4-1 in the top of the sixth, as Aeri Corral (FR/Corona, CA) took a one-out walk. She then stole second and Chaves produced her third hit of the day on a bunt, with Corral scooting to third. Chaves then went to steal second, but the throw got into shallow left-center field. Corral easily scored but Chaves was thrown out trying to score on the play for the final out of the frame.
With two outs in the top of the seventh, Adrianna Natividad (FR/Norwalk, CA) singled to left. Amarah Farley (FR/Hemet, CA) then bounced a ball into left-center field for a triple, her first of the year, to put the Lions up 5-1. Brianna Williams then got three outs in the bottom of the seventh to collect her 22nd win of the season.
VU scored five runs on nine hits, leaving eight on base. SDCC scored one run on 10 hits, with two errors and nine runners left on base. Brianna Williams went the distance, with nine strikeouts and one walk. Chaves was three-for-four, with one RBI. Farley and Kaylie Williams had the other RBI in the contest.
G2: Anniyah Farley (JR/Hemet, CA) was cruising during the opening few innings for Vanguard, as she held SDCC to just two hits over three innings. It took a couple of frames for the Lions to get going offensively but the team scratched four runs across the plate in the top of the third.
Chaves singled up the middle and Amarah Farley replicated that to put two aboard with no outs. Morales punched a single through the right side to load up the bases and Kaylie Williams smacked a single up the middle to bring home both Morales and Farley to put VU up 2-0. Klopfenstein then flared a single to left to bring in two more, giving the Blue and Gold a 4-0 advantage.
The team then poured on three more runs in the top of the fourth, with Chaves starting things off with a one-out double to left that bounced over the fence. Amarah Farley flipped a single out to center to score Chaves to put the Lions up 5-0. Mayfield was hit by a pitch soon after and Morales bashed a double to right-center to bring in both Farley and Mayfield to put VU ahead 7-0.
The Hawks finally managed to get one against Anniyah Farley in the bottom of the fourth, with a single and double putting the score at 7-1. But after a walk, Farley struck out the side to send the Hawks back to the dugout.
Amarah Farley poked a single into left to start the top of the sixth and she proceeded to steal second. A fly ball off the bat of Morales was caught and as Farley went to advance to third, the throw to gun her down went past the third baseman, allowing Farley to score and make it 8-1 in favor of VU.
Anniyah gave up a pair of singles to start the bottom of the sixth and a couple of groundouts would score one more for the Hawks. But she would set down the Hawks in the bottom of the seventh to give Vanguard the 8-2 victory.
The Lions scored eight runs on 15 hits, leaving eight on base. SDCC scored two runs on seven hits, with one error and eight left on base. Amarah Farley was 4-4 with one RBI, leading the team in hits. Kaylie Williams, Morales, and Klopfenstein each had two RBI, with Williams going three-for-four. Farley went the distance, recording six Ks to improve to 5-3 overall.
Why is it Important? VU has now locked up second place in the conference, with William Jessup claiming the regular-season championship this weekend.
What's Next? The Lions will conclude the regular season against Hope International on Tuesday, April 26, starting at 2:00 p.m.
