SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The No. 9 Vanguard baseball team squandered a solid opportunity for a Golden State Athletic Conference win over a longtime nemesis, folding to Westmont in an 8-7, 12-inning loss on Friday afternoon.

Bullpen struggles and sloppy base running were the main culprits, as the Lions fell to 17-9 overall and 5-5 in conference.

The Lions exploded for five runs in the eighth inning to take a 7-5 lead, but the bullpen allowed the Warriors to tie the game with two runs in the bottom half. The Warriors walked off the win in the 12th on a pair of hits. Westmont won despite committing five errors in the game.

Vanguard had two chances to take the lead in extra innings, but both times made crucial base running blunders.

The Lions were outstanding at the top and bottom of the order. Leadoff hitter Dane Nakatsuka (SR/Laguna Niguel, CA) homered twice and finished with three hits, while Tyler Gordon (FR/Orange, CA) went 2-for-6 from the two hole. Fred Buckson (SO/Silverdale, WA) doubled and homered in the eighth spot, and Emiliano Alarcon (SO/Monmouth, OR) also contributed a pair of hits.

The rest of the lineup went 3-for-27.

Kyle Hoskins (SR/Tustin, CA) earned the loss, but pitched well in relief for the Lions. He lasted 3.2 innings, giving up two hits and a run while walking none and striking out five. He retired 10 straight Warriors before allowing a pair of hits in the 12th.

Brady Renck, Parker O'Neil and Shane Hofstadler each had two hits to lead the Warriors. Hofstadler doubled twice with both hits putting Westmont ahead, including the game-winning two bagger in the 12th.

Westmont improved to 19-5 overall and remained in first place in the GSAC at 8-2. The Warriors lead the Lions by three games in the conference standings.

What Happened?: Trailing 5-2 entering the eighth, the Lions erupted for five runs off reliever Gabe Arteaga – aided by three Warrior errors – to set themselves up for a game one series win over the 18th-ranked Warriors.

Buckson greeted Arteaga with a shot over the left field fence on an 0-2 pitch to pull the Lions within 5-3. The Lions pelted Arteaga with two straight singles by Alarcon and Nakatsuka, while Gordon reached on an error by the third baseman to load the bases.

With one out, Oscar Diaz (JR/Los Angeles, CA) hit a slow roller to Renck, who had the ball skip off his glove for an error. Alarcon scored an unearned run on the play as the Lions now trailed just 5-4. The Warriors turned to Carlos Moreno out of the bullpen.

All three inherited runners scored without the ball leaving the infield. Antonio Omphroy (SR/Honolulu, HI) laid down a perfect RBI bunt single that scored Gordon to knot the score at 5-5. With the bases still juiced, Moreno uncorked a wild pitch that moved everyone up 90 feet and plated Gordon, giving the Lions a 6-5 lead.

VU eventually reloaded the bases – and pinch runner Aaron Zubiate (SR/Alta Loma, CA) drew a throw from Hofstadler that sailed over the third baseman's head and into left field. The catcher's error allowed Zubiate to trot home for the 7-5 VU lead. Four of the five runs charged to Arteaga were unearned.

Toby Welty (SR/Colorado Springs, CO), who escaped a no-out bases-loaded jam in the seventh with a strikeout and double play, allowed a leadoff double to Trey Dunn in the bottom of the eighth.

Nate Madole (JR/Huntington Beach, CA) took the ball and promptly hit Michael Soper to put two runners on. After Robbie Haw advanced both runners with a ground out, Renck fought off a tough pitch for an RBI single as the Warriors halved their deficit to 7-6.

Bryce McFeely followed with a slow grounder to Gordon, who forced Renck out at second. Buckson turned to complete the double play but McFeely beat the throw as Westmont tied the game.

Hoskins mowed the Warriors down for three straight innings, striking out five straight batters at one point.

The Warriors brought in Haw to relieve in the 11th, and the Lions loaded the bases via a Buckson double, intentional walk to Nakatsuka and a Gordon single. Stevens hit a soft liner to second for an unassisted double play, as Renck sprinted to tag Gordon who had drifted off of first base.

Vanguard threatened again in the top of the 12th as Diaz hit a leadoff single. Omphroy advanced pinch runner Drew Seidel (FR/Inverness, IL) on a sac bunt, and Seidel moved to third on a passed ball.

Michael Downtain (JR/Menifee, CA) smacked a base hit to right. Seidel, who apparently thought the ball would be caught, got a late start and was nabbed at home plate on a perfect throw from McFeely.

Momentum clearly in favor of the Warriors, Daniel Patterson touched Hoskins for a single to lead off the 12th. After getting sacrificed to second, Patterson scored easily on Hofstadler's game-ending double into the right center alley.

Vanguard took a 1-0 lead in the first on a leadoff homer from Nakatsuka. The Warriors tied it in the bottom half, but the Lions retook the lead in the third as Nakatsuka took Westmont starter Bryan Peck deep for another solo shot.

Tied at 2-2 entering the sixth, Westmont notched three runs on a pair of doubles sandwiched around a sacrifice fly.

Hoskins got the undeserved loss to fall to 1-1 on the season. Haw earned the win to go to 1-0.

Why Is It Important?: Four of VU's five conference losses have come by one run.

What's Next?: The Lions and Warriors conclude their three-game GSAC series in Santa Barbara with a doubleheader on Saturday. The two teams play a nine-inning game at 11:00 a.m. with a seven-inning contest to follow.