COSTA MESA – Vanguard baseball enters its final season as an NAIA member, seeking to advance to the national tournament for the fourth straight year. The Lions have never accomplished that feat, and they have a 50-game schedule to build a résumé worthy of returning to the NAIA bracket.

Key Games

•     No. 7 Bellevue (Neb.) – February 1
•     RV St. Thomas – February 2
•     No. 15 Ave Maria – February 2
•     No. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan – February 3
•     No. 3 Lewis-Clark State – February 7
•     RV The Master's – February 9-10 & April 12-13
•     RV Arizona Christian – March 1-3
•     No. 11 Hope International – April 19-20

Strength of Schedule
 

•  The Lions will square off against six teams that qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in 2023. They will play a total of 12 games against Antelope Valley, Bellevue (Neb.), Ave Maria, Tennessee Wesleyan, Lewis-Clark State and Hope International. VU will be tested early as its first eight games take place against five of the aforementioned opponents, with four of those in the Phoenix area as part of the East-West Challenge.
• Vanguard, ranked 17th in the NAIA preseason poll, can move up the rankings quickly as four opponents are also in the top 25 – No. 7 Bellevue (Neb.), No. 15 Ave Maria, No. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan and No. 3 Lewis-Clark State.
• VU will face a handful of NCAA opponents in Whittier College, Redlands, Hawaii Pacific and Chapman.
• VU's last journey through the Golden State Athletic Conference will feature two road series against Arizona Christian and The Master's – both of which are receiving votes in the NAIA poll. VU's final home series will take place against No. 11 Hope International from April 19-20.

Location Breakdown

•     30 home games
•     16 away games
•     4 neutral site games

Notes

• The Lions open the season with a home game against Antelope Valley on January 26.
• The Blue and Gold embark on a season-long 14-game home stand, beginning on March 8 against Menlo and concluding April 3 versus Simpson. VU will also face Saint Katherine, OUAZ, SAGU American Indian, Hawaii Pacific, Antelope Valley and Chapman during that stretch.
• VU's longest roadtrip will be seven straight contests in April against GSAC foes Jessup and The Master's.
• The GSAC Tournament will be played from April 29-May 1 at the Great Park in Irvine.
• The NAIA Opening Round will be contested at campus sites from May 13-16. Teams advancing out of the Opening Round will compete in the NAIA World Series, May 24-31 in Lewiston, Idaho.

Senior Day
The Lions will celebrate Senior Day and play their final regular season GSAC games on April 20 against Hope International. It is the first time since 2018 that the Royals represent VU's final home opponent.