COSTA MESA – Fresh off a spirit-boosting walk-off win to end Friday, Vanguard softball welcomed the Menlo College Oaks on Saturday for a twin bill of games.  The Lions scored three runs in each game but ended up going 1-1 on the day, taking game one 3-2 and falling 5-3 in the second contest.  The Lions go to 14-13 overall and 5-6 in the Golden State Athletic Conference, with Menlo going to 7-17, 5-5.

What Happened?  The first game opened with a flourish for the Blue and Gold, as two pitches in, Kaylie Williams (SO/Moreno Valley, CA) sent a towering shot over the fence in left-center field, catapulting the Lions to a 1-0 lead.  Emma Noble (SO/Camarillo, CA) reached on a fielder's choice soon after and a single from Mackenzie Hofmann (JR/Tujunga, CA) put runners at the corners.  Bianca Morales (JR/Spring Valley, CA) then slashed a double into the left-field corner to send Noble home and Hofmann to third, doubling to advantage to 2-0.  A pitching change did not prevent VU from scoring again, as Brianna Williams (SO/Chandler, AZ) cashed in what would be the winning run off a single to right field.  The Lions left the first ahead 3-0 and Brianna Williams happily took the lead from the batter's box to the circle.

The VU starter had given up a single in the top of the first but had sent the Oaks back to the dugout quickly after that.  However, MC scratched one run back in the second, as a leadoff double was brought home on a single to center.  But a strike out and a ground out to short halted the Oaks from scoring again.

MC could not get much going for a few frames but used a walk and a pair of singles to load up the bases in the top of the fifth.  Unphased, Williams got another ground out to short to leave the bases juiced and preserve the lead.

Vanguard had a chance to score in the home half of the sixth, as Brianna Williams took a one-out walk.  Marissa Gurrola (SO/Downey, CA) also took a base on balls and Adrianna Natividad (SO/Norwalk, CA) followed that up with a walk of her own to load the bases.  Unfortunately, Tiffany Pope (FR/Walnut, CA) lined into a double play at first to send the contest to the seventh inning.

Brianna Williams surrendered a leadoff walk and the next Oak got a single to put two runners on.  The VU ace responded with back-to-back Ks to put the Lions on the edge of a victory.  The next Menlo player smacked a single to center to score a run, but Noni Chaves (JR/Ontario, CA) made a throw to third and Hofmann applied the tag to the second MC runner to record the third out and give VU the 3-2 win.

The Lions scored three runs on six hits and left five runners on base.  Menlo scored two runs on seven hits and left six on the base paths. Williams walked three and fanned eight over seven innings to improve to 8-6, with Brianna Gonzalez taking the loss, dropping the Oak to 3-4.  Kaylie Williams was 2-for-2 in the game to lead the VU lineup.

Emily Anderson (JR/Fort Collins, CO) was named the Vanguard starter for the second half of the doubleheader and the Oaks were able to use a pair of singles to chug out to a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first.  Anderson did not need to worry though, as things returned to level pegging in the bottom half.

For the second game in a row, Kaylie Williams clobbered a home run to left field as the leadoff hitter for the Blue and Gold, tying the score at 1-1.  The Lions look poised to take the lead, loading the bases over the next five batters, but Menlo was able to pitch out of the jam.

However, the lineup returned for some more run support in the bottom of the second.  Karly Colenzo (SR/Downey, CA) started the rally with a single and then stole second, the first stolen base of her career at Vanguard.  A single for Pope drove her home, with Pope getting to second on the throw home.  Noble would trade places with Pope with her own single to center, driving the Lions to a 3-1 lead.

The Blue and Gold got a nice defensive play in the top of the third to net a unique double play.  A very shallow fly ball to left was caught by Gurrola on the run, and she was able to throw the ball over to first and double up the Oak runner who had gotten almost to second on the hit to retire the side.

Still, the Oaks turned up the pressure in the top of the fourth.  A walk and a single put two on and the Lions brought in Vanessa Robles (FR/Fresno, CA), but a single lowered the gap to 3-2.  Another single loaded up the bases and a walk a batter later would equalize the game at 3-3.

VU got two runners on in the home half of the inning, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the opportunity.  Neither side generated any runs in the fifth or sixth, bringing the game to the seventh.

The game unraveled for Vanguard in the top of the final inning, as the Oaks scored two runs to snag a 5-3 edge.  Chaves was able to pick up a single in the bottom half but the final two outs went in the book to end the game.

Menlo scored five runs on eight hits, had one error, and left six runners on base.  VU had three runs on six hits, two errors, and seven runners left aboard.  Anderson struck out three batters and Robles fanned two, as Robles takes the loss and falls to 0-1.  Vivian Valencia gave up only two hits over the final six innings, improving to 2-4 on the season.  Six different Lions had one hit and all three runs came from different batters.

Why is it Important?  The middle of the GSAC standings is now all scrunched together, with VU two games behind Arizona Christian for second.  VU is now 27-8-2 all-time against the Oaks.

What's Next?  Vanguard will try to make up two non-conference series this week, potentially starting with a pair against Saint Katherine.  If the weather does not cooperate, the Lions will travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to make up that missed doubleheader on Friday, March 31, at noon.