COSTA MESA – Rain in the forecast did not stop Vanguard baseball from getting in a doubleheader against La Sierra on Monday at Dean Harvey Field. Despite the wet conditions, the Lions twice came back from deficits to win 8-6 in game one before the Golden Eagles bounced back to take a 3-2 victory in game two.
The Lions are now 9-6 on the season, while the Golden Eagles move to 3-5.
Offensively, the Lions were led by a 4-for-4 performance in game one by Corey Jarrell. The outfielder scored four times and added a walk, reaching safely in all five plate appearances. Michael Downtain went 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI in game one, and has now hit safely in 13 of 14 games this season. The third multi-hit gem came from Oscar Diaz, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Bryce Barnett and Jesus Munguia pitched well to pick up the win and save, respectively, as the Blue and Gold took the opener after trailing 1-0 and 4-2.
Jacob Dahlstrom took the mound in game two and pitched well, allowing three runs (two earned) in 6.0 innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out eight.
The right-hander took the hard luck loss after the Lion offense mustered just two runs off Golden Eagle pitching. The Lions scored a pair of runs in the second but got shut down by three La Sierra relievers.
However, VU had its chances with runners in scoring position in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but each time could not push a runner across.
What Happened?
Game 1 – Vanguard 8, La Sierra 6
Bobby Benavidez doubled to lead off the game against VU starter Jackson Webber. Stephen Chavez followed with a walk, and the two runners tried a double steal. Chavez got caught in a rundown between first and second, and eventually was tagged out on a 2-4-3-4 put out, but Benavidez scored on the play for a 1-0 La Sierra lead.
The Lions copied La Sierra's blueprint in the bottom half as Jarrell and Fred Buckson doubled and walked, respectively. Downtain reached first on a grounder to shortstop as Jarrell hustled all the way home on the play. Antonio Omphroy gave the Lions a 2-1 lead with a double down the right field line that scored Buckson.
The Golden Eagles scored twice in the second and once more in the third to build a 4-2 advantage. In the second, La Sierra loaded the bases via two singles and a walk, and Benavidez cashed in two runners with a single to center.
Webber allowed a fourth run as Luke Mariscal homered to right with two outs in the third inning.
The Lions turned to Bryce Barnett out of the bullpen in the fourth, and he provided the Lions a much needed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.
In the interim, the Blue and Gold plotted their comeback. VU narrowed the gap to 4-3 on a Jarred Mazzaferro sac fly in the third, scoring Downtain who led off with an infield single.
VU took the lead for good with two runs in the fourth, taking advantage of an error that victimized Golden Eagle reliever Henry Parada. Jarrell doubled with one out to send Abraham Hernandez to third after he had gotten hit by a pitch. Parada fanned the next Lion for the second out, and appeared to be out of the inning on a grounder. But the first baseman muffed the ball, and Hernandez scored the unearned run to knot things at 4-4. Diaz roped an opposite field single to score a second unearned run for the 5-4 VU lead.
Creating some cushion in the sixth, VU took advantage of another La Sierra fielding blunder for two more runs. Hernandez reached on a throwing error by the Golden Eagle third baseman and advanced to third on Jarrell's double. Hernandez scored on a wild pitch by Kyle Schelling, La Sierra's third pitcher.
With Jarrell on third, Diaz delivered his second RBI single as he poked a ball through the right side.
In the top half of the sixth, La Sierra threatened as Barnett walked three straight hitters after whiffing the first two in the inning. Jase Schueller rescued Barnett by getting Chavez on a grounder to end the inning.
Schueller induced La Sierra into a pair of groundouts to start the seventh cleanly. However the Golden Eagles loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Pinch hitter Anthony Thomas laced an opposite field single to right to score Mariscal and Manny Sepulveda to cut VU's lead to 7-6.
Fortunately, pinch runner Alva Banuelos was nabbed on an attempted steal to end the inning.
The Lions added an insurance run in the eighth aided by La Sierra's third error of the game. Jarrell singled with one out and moved to second on an errant throw by the second baseman. With two outs, Downtain poked a single into right to send Jarrell home.
Jesus Munguia entered for the Lions in the ninth and earned his first save after setting the Golden Eagles down in order.
Game 2 – La Sierra 3, Vanguard 2
Dahlstrom struggled in the first but settled down over the course of his six innings, giving the Lions multiple chances to play catch up.
Benavidez duplicated his start from game one as he doubled to begin the nightcap. Colin Mitchell laid down a sac bunt and reached first safely following a throwing error from the VU third baseman. Benavidez came home on the play for the 1-0 lead. Gabriel Jones laid down a bunt single to third to put runners on the corners, and Nate Martinez hit a sac fly to center for the second Golden Eagle run.
The Lions tied the game at 2-2 as Steven Casas doubled into the right center gap to score Diaz and Mazzaferro. Both runs were unearned off La Sierra starter Nico Masucci, facilitated on a throwing error by the second baseman to start the inning.
VU fished for more scoring, but the inning ended with Casas getting thrown out at third on an attempted steal.
The Lions loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but Golden Eagle reliever Jerald Pryor got a force out at second to squash the threat. Pryor became the winning pitcher as La Sierra took a 3-2 lead in the fourth with Mariscal doubling to score Jones, who led off with a single and stole second.
Seeking to tie the score, Downtain hit a deep two-out double to center in the fifth. In an attempt to leg out a triple, Downtain got thrown out on a bang bang 9-4-5 relay to end the inning.
Dahlstrom had gotten into a groove, retiring eight of nine Golden Eagles from the fourth through sixth innings.
The Lions had another glorious chance to tie or take the lead in the sixth as they loaded the bases with two outs. Mazzaferro singled, followed by walks to Levi Hall and Casas. But Hernandez, who pinch hit for Tevis Payne, grounded out to second off La Sierra reliever Stephen Chavez.
Munguia made his second relief appearance of the afternoon and squirmed out of trouble in the seventh after the Golden Eagles put runners on the corners via a fielding error, sac bunt and single. Munguia fanned pinch hitter Matthew Shelton and induced Sepulveda into a ground out to keep the deficit to one run.
Banuelos came on to close for La Sierra as VU looked for heroics in its final at-bat. Buckson doubled to left center on a blooper with one out, but the next two Lions struck out and flied out to end the game, with Banuelos earning the save.
Why Is It Important?: The Lions had scored 44 runs during their four game winning streak, but struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position in game two this afternoon.
What Was Said?: "Not a great day overall," said Head Coach Rob Pegg. "We didn't continue the momentum we created on the weekend. Making more mistakes than we should be at this point in the season. A number of our pitchers had solid outings today. I'm glad we were able to get the games in considering the weather."
What's Next?: The Lions host Bethesda for a doubleheader on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
