ROCKLIN, Calif. – Vanguard earned a split against Jessup to finish off its northern California swing in Golden State Athletic Conference softball action Saturday, defeating the Warriors 3-2 in game one before falling 11-2 in game two.
Brianna Williams went the distance to collect her 12th win of the season, allowing five hits and two unearned runs while walking two and striking out six. The VU bats supplied her with one run in the first and two more in the third.
Kaylie Williams produced half of VU's eight-hit attack with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate.
The Warriors scored at least one run in four of five innings to post the mercy-rule victory in game two. Two big innings hurt the Lions as Jessup scored three times in the first and had a five spot in the fifth for the walkoff win.
The Lions are now 20-20 on the season and 10-8 in GSAC play. The Warriors sit at 22-17 and 9-8 in conference action.
What Happened?
Game 1 – The Lions capitalized on a Jessup error to take a 1-0 first inning lead. Noni Chaves and Kaylie Williams singled to put Lions on first and second with one out. Bianca Morales hit a ball toward the Warrior third baseman that she misplayed, allowing Chaves to scamper home.
The Blue and Gold scored again with one out in the third as Karly Colenzo singled and moved to third on a Kaylie Williams double. Morales drove home Colenzo on a fielder's choice for a 2-0 VU lead, with Kaylie Williams advancing to third on the play.
Mackenzie Hofmann followed with a sacrifice fly to left as Kaylie Williams scored to make it 3-0 Lions.
Brianna Williams retired eight straight Warriors after giving up a two out single in the first. She struck out the side in the fourth to escape trouble, as a single, double and a walk loaded the bases. However, the right-hander got all three outs on swinging strikes.
Jessup scored its two runs in the fifth, aided by a VU error. Neva Adams led off with an infield single and moved to third after an error by the VU catcher allowed Lexi Watson to reach second. Brianna Williams struck out the next batter, and looked on her way to putting up another zero when Adams was nailed at the plate attempting to score on Olivia Dominguez's grounder to the pitcher.
But Sam Lorge walked to load the bases, and Sarah Giles knocked a two-RBI single into left as the Warriors trimmed their deficit to 3-2. Brianna Williams got Aaliyah Pineda to pop out to end the threat.
In the VU half of the fifth, the Lions threatened by loading the bases with one out, but Jessup starter Katie Blankenheim escaped the jam by getting an inning-ending double play.
Brianna Williams did not need the extra runs as set down the final seven Warriors to improve to 12-7 on the year.
Game 2 – The Warriors scored three unearned runs in the first, capped off by an Pineda two-RBI single.
The Lions pulled one run back in the third as they put runners on the corners via an Emma Noble double and Lexi Rolin single. Noble scored on a wild sequence involving Aeri Corral and Rolin on the base paths, resulting in two outs for the Warriors.
Jessup replied a run in the bottom half of the third thanks to an RBI triple from Bailey Reid.
The Warriors capitalized on two more VU errors in the fourth which led to two unearned runs. The inning ended with Pineda's single scoring one run, but not a second as Chaves threw a dart from center field to nab Lorge attempting to score.
Morales tripled to lead off the fifth. Jessup committed two errors on the same play when the next hitter, Andrea Connor, hit a ball into right field. Morales scored to bring the deficit within 6-2.
However, the Warriors erupted for five runs in their half of the fifth, with Lorge smacking a grand slam to end the game.
Morales finished the game 2-for-2, while Noble and Rolin add the other Lion hits off Jessup starter Terra Goetz, who improved to 10-3 with the complete game victory.
Three Lion hurlers gave up the 11 runs, only six of which were earned. LeeAnne Miranda took the loss after lasting just one-third of an inning.
Why Is It Important?: The Lions finished 3-1 on their roadtrip and remained ahead of Jessup in the GSAC standings. VU is tied for second in the GSAC with Arizona Christian at 10-8.
What's Next?: The Lions host OUAZ in a doubleheader on Friday, April 21 beginning at noon.
