Box Score COSTA MESA -- The Vanguard baseball team celebrated the nine seniors on the 2023 squad and ended the regular season on Wednesday afternoon in a single game against the University of Saint Katherine.  The game tilted twice before the final inning gave way to a complete flip-flop that allowed the Lions to salute a walk-off 9-8 win.  For the second year in a row, VU will conclude the season with a win thanks to a bases-loaded single to right-center field from Dane Nakatsuka, who delivered the delirium to the Dean Harvey Field in his final home at-bat in his career.  The Lions will enter the postseason at 33-14 overall, while USK will drop to 14-21.
 
What Happened?  The Firebirds put senior Nate Madole on thin ice early, as two singles were brought home on a towering home run to left to put the visitors up 3-0.  The Lions took a couple of innings to get into gear offensively but knotted things up in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Adam Stevens started the two-out rally with a single to right and Fred Buckson followed that up with a single to left.  Antonio Omphroy then scorched a ball down the left-field line for a double, with both Stevens and Buckson scoring to make the score 3-2.  Tyler Gordon then got a break as his grounder on the right side bounced over the USK shortstop, allowing Omphroy to score to tie things at 3-3.
 
With Kyle Hoskins keeping Saint Katherine off the board in the top of the fifth, the Lions got their first lead of the day in the bottom half.  Nakatsuka singled and then stole second, with Luke Arias taking a one-out walk to put two aboard.  Oscar Diaz then lined a ball into the right-field corner for a double, clearing the bases to put the Blue and Gold ahead 5-3.
 
The team made it three-straight innings of scoring in the bottom of the sixth.  VU loaded the bases, as Omphroy took a walk, Gordon reached a dribbler up the middle, and Corey Jarrell walked, with Nakatsuka pushing Omphroy home on a ground out. 
 
Ahead 6-3, Jackson Webber entered in the top of the seventh but saw two errors allowed the Firebirds to score twice, cutting the VU advantage to 6-5.  But the squad picked him up with a run in the bottom of the seventh, as a single by Stevens cashed in Diaz, who had reached on a single and had scooted to second on a passed ball.  Quincy Vassar had a quick and efficient top half of the eighth for the home side, with senior Toby Welty coming in to slam the door in the top of the ninth.  Unfortunately, USK bombed two home runs off of Welty to jump ahead 8-6. 
 
But there would not be any tears on senior day.  Stevens worked a walk to lead off the home half of the ninth and Buckson single to right after that.  Stevens rounded second and then decided to go to third on the play, sliding in safely on the attempt, with Buckson reaching second behind him.  Gordon was intentionally walked by the Firebirds, bringing up Marco Lopez.  The pinch hitter lined out to right for the second out and up stepped Nakatsuka.  As he did last year against Westmont, #27 lifted a ball to the right-center gap to score Brendan Wagner (who had pinch-ran for Stevens) and Buckson to give the Lions the 9-8 victory.
 
The Lions scored nine runs on 15 hits, committed two errors, and left nine runners on base.  USK had eight runs on 11 hits, one error, and six runners left aboard.  Welty picks up his first win of the year and goes to 1-0.  VU got seven strikeouts from the eight pitchers used, all with one.  Nakatsuka went 3-for-5 and picked up two RBI, as did Diaz.  Steven, Buckson, and Omphroy each had two hits and Omphroy was the third Lion to pick up two RBI on the day.
 
Why is it Important?  The Lions are 9-3 all-time now against the Firebirds.
 
What was Said?  "Our guys fought to the end today and come out on top, just as they have many times this year," said Head Coach Rob Pegg.  "This was a fitting way to end the regular season.  I'm proud of our nine seniors, for who they are and their contributions to the program.  Shoutout to Charlie Pierce and his at-bat today.  A great way to end the regular season at home."
 
What's Next?  VU will start the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament on Monday against Hope International at 2:00 p.m.