LEWISTON, Idaho – British Columbia's three home runs helped eliminate Vanguard from the 2022 NAIA Baseball Opening Round, presented by Avista, on Tuesday evening at Harris Field. The Lions lost 7-4 to end their season at 44-15.

The big blow was a three-run homer by Noah Or in the second, part of a five-run outburst that gave the Thunderbirds a 6-1 lead. The Lions had opportunities to rally, but left 10 men on base. In three opening round games, VU left 35 men on base.

What Happened?: VU pitcher Dylan McDonald (JR/Pacifica, CA) got the start and retired the first two Thunderbirds he faced on swinging strikeouts. But No. 3 hitter Ty Penner homered over the right field fence for a 1-0 lead.

The Lions fired right back in the bottom half with a two-out response. Aki Buckson (SR/Silverdale, WA) singled and Tommy Rodriguez (JR/Yucaipa, CA) drove him in with an RBI triple down the right field line.

But the Thunderbirds strung together three straight hits with one out in the second to retake the lead. Brett Corbeth singled and Jonny McGill doubled to put runners at second and third. Nolan Weger had an RBI knock through the left side. Cameron Sanderson laid down a sac bunt and reached on a fielder's choice, as McGill scored for the second run.

McDonald moved one step closer to getting out of the inning as Mike Fitzsimmons flied out. However, with two runners still aboard, Or hit a three-run shot to center to give the Thunderbirds a 6-1 lead.

The Lions loaded the bases in the bottom half of the second on a single, an error and a walk, but British Columbia starter Branden Woods got a groundout to end the threat.

The Lions chipped away at the deficit with back-to-back runs in the fourth and fifth. With one out in the fourth, Dane Nakatsuka (JR/Laguna Niguel, CA) singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Chad Sutton (SR/Scottsdale, AZ) followed with a rope to left center to score Nakatsuka. The Lions again loaded the bases on a walk to Luke Arias (JR/Spring Valley, CA) and a single from Matthew Land (SR/Eugene, OR). But pinch hitter Ian McIntyre (JR/Tempe, AZ) grounded into an inning-ending double play as VU was held to one run.

That disappointment carried over into the fifth as Fitzsimmons led off with a homer to left off VU reliever Jackson Webber (SR/Bothell, WA), extending the lead back to five at 7-2.

VU got the run back in the bottom half as Tommy Rodriguez singled, stole second and took third on a throwing error by the Thunderbird catcher. Joe Johnson (SR/Medford, OR) followed with an RBI groundout.

Three VU relievers – Tyler Armenta (SR/Anaheim, CA), Quincy Vassar (JR/Brewster, WA) and Jared Greer (SR/Anaheim, CA) – tossed four scoreless innings to open the door for a VU comeback. Armenta was especially solid as he allowed just two hits with two strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.

Woods finished up his seven innings on the mound by setting down six of the final seven Lions he faced, yielding just a walk to Travis Aversa (SR/Fountain Valley, CA).

BC reliever Adam Khan twirled a 1-2-3 eighth and handed the ball off to closer Vicarte Domingo in the ninth.

VU mounted a two-out rally against Domingo, getting the tying runs on base and the winning run at the plate in Johnson. Land got things going with a double and Aversa drew a walk. Buckson stroked a single into right field to fill the bases with Lions.

Rodriguez swung at strike three on a pitch out of the zone, but reached first on a wild pitch to extend the inning. Land scored on the play to make it 7-4.

That left Johnson – the team's home run leader with 16 on the season – with the bases loaded and a chance to complete the comeback. But a foul out to first ended the game and a 44-win season for the Lions.

What Was Said?: "God is good!," said Head Coach Rob Pegg. "Love these guys and it was a special group to coach."