PALMDALE, Calif. -- Vanguard softball returned to the field for another doubleheader on Friday as VU squared off against Antelope Valley. The Pioneers shocked the Lions in game one with a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh, but the Blue and Gold responded by pulling out a 10-9 decision to earn a split on the day. Vanguard goes to 12-4 overall and UAV goes to 2-8.
What Happened? The Lions opened the first ball game with a pair of walks and after a fielder's choice,
Adriana Portillo singled to right to put Vanguard up 1-0.
Bianca Morales took another walk to load up the bases and
Marissa Gurrola picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice to give VU a 2-0 lead.
That advantage would hold until the bottom of the third, as the Pioneers got one run back against
Brianna Williams. The home side used a pair of singles, with a sac bunt sandwiched in between, to make the score 2-1. UAV then tied the contest in the bottom of the fourth with a home run and swung into the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run shot.
Now trailing 4-2,
Amarah Farley belted her own home run in the top of the sixth to claw one run back for the Lions.
LeeAnne Miranda threw a clean bottom of the sixth and the offense succeeded in tying the game in the top of the seventh.
Vanessa Robles took a walk and
Ashley Klopfenstein singled to put two runners on.
Carli Row took a walk to load up the bases and but UAV got an out on a ground ball. Skating on thin ice with two outs,
Kamryn Walker worked a walk to bring home Klopfenstein to tie things at 4-4.
Robles went to the circle for the bottom of the seventh and while she did get one out, UAV got three singles that allowed Antelope Valley to win 5-4.
UAV scored five runs on nine hits and left three runners on base. VU tallied four runs on four hits and left four runners aboard. Williams had four strikeouts and Robles will fall to 2-1 on the season.
Game 2
The two sides exchanged scoring volleys in the second matchup of the day, with the Blue and Gold striking for two runs out of the gate again. Farley led off with a single and then stole second, which was followed by a single for
Mackenzie Hofmann to put runners on first and third. Row hit a scorcher to the UAV shortstop who could not handle it cleanly, allowing Farley to score. A single by Morales cashed in Hofmann and for the second time of the day, VU took a 2-0 into the bottom of the first inning.
Mia Portillo kept the Pioneers off the board in the first, but things got dicey in the bottom of the second.
Antelope Valley racked up four runs on five hits, including one home run, to propel themselves into a 4-2 lead.
Mari Ipatzi helped to retire the side and though it took a couple of innings, the VU bats did make the required rally.
Aeri Corral got a single in the top of the fourth and Farley reached on an error, allowing Corral to scamper to second. The duo then stole a base to arrive at second third, and Hofmann picked up a sac fly to bring the gap down to 4-3.
The offensive rocketed up to another level in the top of the fifth, as the Lions deposited seven runs off of five hits. Gurrola reached on a walk and Morales doubled to put runners on second and third.
Adriana Portillo reached on an error and that miscue allowed both runners to cross the plate to push VU ahead 5-4. The hit train was just getting started though, as Corral,
Kaylee DeMaio, and Walker all recorded hits, with Walker's double scoring two runs.
Megan Ireland brought Walker home on another Pioneer error and a double by Row brought Ireland across the dish, as the Lions entered the bottom of the fifth ahead 10-4.
However, Antelope Valley had some other ideas. The hosts made things close by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth and three in the bottom of the sixth, as the Vanguard lead shrunk to 10-9.
The Lions went down without scoring a run in the top of the seventh, leaving UAV in walk-off reach. But Miranda, who had entered in the bottom of the fifth, remained calm in the circle. Though she gave up a two-out single, she got the next batter to ground out to end the game.
The Lions scored 10 runs on 13 hits and left seven runners on base. UAV scored nine runs on 13 hits, had four errors, and left eight runners aboard. Ipatzi gets the win, improving to 3-1 on the year, while Miranda gets her first save.
Row, Morales,
Noni Chaves, and Corral each had a pair of hits in the game. Walker, Row, and Corral all tied for a team-high two RBI.
What's Next? The team will have until March 2 for a noon doubleheader at home against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
