SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- Vanguard baseball played on the road at The Master's on Saturday and unfortunately, the Lions dropped a pair of close contests.  The Blue and Gold were ahead in game one but fell 6-5, with TMU walking things off in the bottom of the seventh in game two to take the twin bill 1-0.  The Lions fall to 5-4 overall and 1-2 in Golden State Athletic Conference play, while the Mustangs improve to 8-2, 2-1.

What Happened?  Fred Buckson got the first hit of the game in the top of the first, but  Gage Webster of TMU got the third out right after.  Jake Hiner was the VU starter and he did not give up any hits over the first two innings.  Meanwhile, the Vanguard bats exploded early for the second day in a row, as the Blue and Gold struck for one tally in the top of the second and tagged on four more runs in the top of the third.

With one out in the second, Jarred Mazzaferro belted a double and he would get cashed in on a two-out single to center by Nino Vultaggio.  The third started with Buckson garnering his second single of the day, and with one out, Michael Downtain also netted a single, with Buckson scooting to third.  The Lions called for the double steal and as Downtain broke for second, Buckson charged home, with both being called safe to put the Lions up 1-0.  Antonio Omphroy then smacked a double to left to bring home Downtain and double the lead.  Mazzaferro was hit by a pitch and with two on and after the second out of the frame, Tevis Payne took a walk to load up the bases.  Vultaggio lined a single to left field to score Omphroy and Mazzaferro, as VU left the inning ahead 4-0.

However, Hiner saw two Mustang runs come across the plate in the bottom of the fourth to get the home side back into the contest.  A home run was followed by a triple and a ground out to make the score 5-2 after four frames.

The pitchers for both sides then locked things down, as only one single by Buckson was recorded until the bottom of the seventh inning.  Hiner hit the leadoff batter with a pitch and the next TMU hitter doubled to left field, with the runner on base scoring to make it 5-3.  The Mustangs got two more runners on base but Hiner remained composed to get the final strikeout to end the scoring threat.

Bryce Barnett replaced Hiner in the bottom of the eighth but surrendered a walk, a single, and a double, as TMU cut the gap to 5-4.  Jesus Munguia was called in from the pen and gave up a walk.  He then got a K but the next TMU hitter lined a single to left to bring in a run to tie the contest at 5-5.  A ground out to third put the Mustangs ahead 6-5 for their first lead in the series, though Munguia got the next out to send things to the top of the ninth.  

Christopher Famolaro got a one-out single to try to rally the Lions, but no one could move him over, as TMU completed a 6-5 comeback win.

TMU scored six runs on eight hits, had two errors, and left four runners on base.  The Lions tallied five runs on 11 hits but stranded nine runners on base.  Hiner had six strikeouts in seven innings.  Barnett gets the loss to fall to 0-1, while Ryan Shalkevich goes to 1-0 for TMU.  Buckson had a terrific game from the plate, going 4-for-5.  Vultaggio had two hits and led VU with three RBI.

Game Two
Dylan McDonald got the nod against J.T. Friesen in game two and the starters turned the focus on themselves, as the batters combined for only four hits through four innings.  Michael Downtain collected the only knock for VU with a single in the first, but the Lions could not get much else going.  TMU threatened in the bottom of the third, as the Mustangs ended up with runners on the corners with two outs, but McDoland ended the danger with a big strikeout.

Both teams got two runners on in the fifth, but each starter again kept the bats from putting runs on the board.  Ryan Mathiesen came in to replace Friesen in the top of the seventh and though Omphroy got a single, he would be left on base.  Quincy Vassar came in for McDonald and gave up back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the seventh that put runners at the corners.  The next Mustang hit a fly ball that cashed in the winning run, as The Master's snagged game two 1-0.

VU had four hits in the game and TMU scored its one run on six hits.  Vassar takes the loss to fall to 0-1, while Mathiesen goes to 1-0.  Downtain had two of Vanguard's four hits.

What Was Said?  "Both starting pitchers were excellent," relayed Head Coach Rob Pegg.  "Two very hard-fought ball games today.  We slipped for one inning in the first game and it cost us.  Unfortunate.  We did not play a full nine.  We've played solid and we're close, we are learning what we need to.  Credit to TMU for playing well."

Why is it Important?  VU and TMU are the first teams out of the gate in the GSAC.  Meanwhile, the Lions had won four of the past five games against TMU before the defeats today.  Vanguard is now 59-74 against the Mustangs all-time and Santa Clarita has not been good to VU, as the Lions are 26-43 at The Master's.

What's Next?  The Blue and Gold play Whittier College on Monday at 2:00 p.m.