COSTA MESA – Dane Nakatsuka (JR/Laguna Niguel, CA) delivered a bases-loaded RBI single to cap Vanguard's 5-4 comeback victory over Westmont at Dean Harvey Field on Saturday, helping the Lions clinch a share of the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season title.
Needing to sweep the sixth-ranked Warriors for any shot at the title, the Lions accomplished just that as they outscored their opponent 27-6 in the series. VU won game one on Saturday in an 8-0 shutout before overcoming a 4-3 deficit in game two going into its final at-bat.
Vanguard and Hope International each finished 24-8 in GSAC play to share the title for the second straight year. The Warriors finished with a 23-9 conference record.
The Lions are now 43-10 overall for the year, while the Warriors are 39-10.
What Happened? Game One: Dylan McDonald (JR/Pacifica, CA) impressed with 7.1 scoreless innings, scattering five hits, walking two and striking out six in a 111-pitch effort.
McDonald set down the side in the third and sixth innings and did not allow an extra base hit in the longest stint of his career.
The Lions clung to a 1-0 lead through five innings as Tommy Rodriguez (JR/Yucaipa, CA) hit an inside-the-park home run in the fourth off Westmont's Bradley Heacock, who had set down 10 of 11 hitters prior to that point.
Vanguard loaded the bases on three straight singles in the first, but Heacock mowed down the next two Lions via strikeout and got Rodriguez on a fielder's choice grounder to end the inning.
The Lions touched Heacock for three runs in the sixth as Rodriguez delivered an RBI single. He then stole second as Joe Johnson (SR/Medford, OR) scored on a passed ball, giving the Lions a 3-0 lead. The third run came on a sac bunt by Isaiah Lee (SR/Santa Ana, CA), with Rodriguez scoring on the play.
Vanguard added two more runs in both the seventh and eighth innings. Elijah Weeks (SR/Murrieta, CA) scored on a wild pitch after pinch running for Matthew Land (SR/Eugene, OR), who had led off with a triple. Later in the frame, Aki Buckson (SR/Silverdale, WA) belted a run-scoring double.
In the eighth, Travis Aversa (SR/Fountain Valley, CA) notched a two-out, two-run single to score Lee and Nakatsuka.
McDonald improved to 5-0 on the season. Aversa and Buckson were both 3-for-4 at the plate, while Rodriguez and Land had a pair of hits.
Game 2: The Lions outscored the Warriors 22-2 going into the winner-take-all final game of the series.
The Lions needed late inning heroics from Sutton and Nakatsuka to take the 5-4, seven-inning victory.
Trailing 4-3 entering the seventh, Aversa led off with a double down the left field line off Westmont reliever Carlos Moreno. With one out, Johnson's grounder to second moved pinch runner Christopher Famolaro (FR/San Diego, CA) to third. Sutton was down to his last strike as he swung at a pitch in the dirt. But with a 1-2 count, he doubled on the next pitch to tie the score at 4-4.
Moreno walked Oscar Diaz (SO/Los Angeles, CA) and new Warrior reliever Gabe Arteaga plunked Rodriguez with a pitch to load the bases. Nakatsuka followed with a shot into the right field alley as Sutton scored the winning run and set off a wild celebration on the diamond.
Vanguard took a 1-0 lead in the first on Johnson's RBI single up the middle. The Lions went up 2-0 in the third on Aversa's third homer of the year.
Westmont took the lead for the first time in the series with a three-run fifth inning, getting a bases-clearing double from Josh Rego.
The Lions tied the score in the bottom half on Buckson's fielder's choice groundout, which scored pinch runner Ian McIntyre (JR/Tempe, AZ).
The Warriors retook the lead in the seventh on Rego's two-out solo shot to left. Rego finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
Jesus Munguia (SO/Anaheim, CA) got the start for VU and pitched well, giving up three runs and seven hits in 5.0 innings. Quincy Vassar (JR/Brewster, WA) tossed a solid 1.1 innings of relief.
Aversa went 6-for-8 with two runs scored and three RBIs in the doubleheader.
Following the doubleheader, the Lions celebrated their 13 seniors – Zander Fletcher (JR/Costa Mesa, CA), Weeks, Land, Johnson, Buckson, Kevin Miser (SR/Ridgefield, WA), Tyler Armenta (SR/Anaheim, CA), Cameron Hirahara (SR/Grover Beach, CA), Sutton, Lee, Bradley Enos (SO/Modesto, CA ), Aversa and Jared Greer (SR/Anaheim, CA).
Why Is It Important?: The Lions played well in all facets to sweep the Warriors for the first time since 2007. For the series, VU hit .308 (37-for-120), posted a 1.41 ERA and committed just one error. The Lions also hit six home runs.
What Was Said?: "Really proud of the team and what they showed and accomplished this weekend," said Head Coach Rob Pegg. "Fun to be a part of."
What's Next?: The Lions will compete in the GSAC Tournament, which runs May 2-5 at the OC Great Park.
