COSTA MESA – Buoyed by a 13-hit offensive attack in both games, the Vanguard softball team continued its winning ways with 12-4 and 8-4 victories over La Sierra on a windy afternoon at the VU Softball Field on Thursday.
The Lions extended their win streak to nine straight games, and improved to 21-5 overall. The Golden Eagles fell to 4-17.
Junior Amarah Farley went 5-for-7 with four runs scored, three stolen bases and an RBI from her customary leadoff spot. Senior Noni Chaves matched her outfield mate in runs and stolen bases, driving in two while going 4-for-4 over the course of the doubleheader.
Senior Bianca Morales homered for the second time this season and Carli Row had a 3-for-3, 2-RBI effort in game two.
The Lions provided opportunities to LeeAnne Miranda and Mia Iacomini in the circle, and both pitchers delivered with their first wins of the season – and the first for Iacomini in her young Lion career.
VU scored multiple runs in seven of the 11 innings played, finishing 26-for-54 (.482) at the plate.
Danielle Pfennig led the Golden Eagles with a pair of home runs in game two as she accounted for all of her team's scoring.
What Happened?
Game 1 – Vanguard 12, La Sierra 4 (5 innings)
VU posted its second consecutive mercy-rule victory after toppling Ave Maria 10-2 in five innings on Tuesday.
The Lions responded to La Sierra's single run in the first with three in the bottom half. Farley and Kamryn Walker stole second and third after leading off the inning with a double and a walk, respectively. Adriana Portillo lifted a fly ball to right that allowed Farley to score easily for the 1-1 tie. Morales then crushed a two-run homer to left center to put the Lions up 3-1.
VU took advantage of a La Sierra fielding error to tack on three more runs in the second. Chaves singled with one out and Farley reached after the Golden Eagle second baseman bobbled a grounder. Similar to the first inning, the Lions employed the double steal to get both runners into scoring position.
Portillo walked with two outs to load the bases, and Morales drew her own free pass to plate Chaves. The Lions took a 6-1 lead when Row laced a 2-RBI single as Portillo and Farley crossed home plate.
La Sierra cut the deficit in half when Samantha Laird drove in a pair of runs with a one out single in the third. But Miranda got Casey Ruiz to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Heads up base running helped VU add three more runs to its total in third. After Adrianna Natividad led off with a walk, Andrea Connor laid down a perfectly placed bunt to third base. Both runners advanced a base on the throw, and Emma Noble's RBI grounder scored Natividad. Chaves followed with a bunt single to third base to plate Connor. Later in the inning, Chaves swiped home to complete the double steal with Farley.
With a 9-3 lead, Ipatzi allowed an unearned run in the fifth after a leadoff error and an RBI double from Annica Carrion.
But the Lions had the last say and invoked the mercy rule with three runs in the bottom half. Chaves hit a deep drive to the center field fence to score the speedy Connor, who led off with a sharp single to center. Farley tripled into the left center alley as Chaves trotted in. The Golden Eagles removed starter Kayla Salley in favor of Lidia Flores, and Walker greeted her with a run-scoring infield single to end the game.
Eleven Lions recorded at least one hit in the game.
Game 2 – Vanguard 8, La Sierra 4
Iacomini got the ball in game two in her first career start and only her second appearance of the season. The freshman pitched brilliantly over the first three innings, retiring nine straight with five strikeouts. She struck out the side in the first.
VU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second as Chaves wreaked havoc after singling with one out. She stole second and forced an errant throw by the catcher, making her way to third on the error. Chaves came home on an RBI groundout by Lilyana Roth.
The Lions put up another three spot in the third. Walker's RBI groundout scored Ashley Klopfenstein, who led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on Farley's single. A wild sequence then unfolded as Morales hit a high pop up that the Golden Eagle second baseman dropped. In an attempt to recover and nab Morales at first, her throw sailed past the first baseman. The double error allowed Farley to score and Morales to hustle all the way to third.
Mackenzie Hofmann flew out to left to drive in Morales with VU's third unearned run of the inning.
Armed with a 4-0 lead, Iacomini finally ran into trouble in the fourth. Pfenning, who drew the start in the circle, helped her own cause after Alexis Cook and Laird preceded her with singles. With one swing of the bat, Pfenning hit a three-run shot to left to trim the deficit to 4-3.
Iacomini gave up two more singles to put runners at the corners, but got Jocelyn Gomez to fly out without any further damage.
The Lions wasted no time creating some more distance as Klopfenstein and Gaby Ramirez contributed RBI singles in the bottom half of the fourth to extend the lead to 6-3.
Pfenning led off the sixth with her second home run of the game – this one coming off VU reliever Mia Portillo.
But VU responded again in the bottom half. Natividad singled and moved to second on a sac bunt, coming home on a Brianna Williams RBI knock. Mia Hernandez sent Williams to third via another single, and a wild pitch from La Sierra reliever Shelbie Debenedetti brought home Williams for VU's eighth run.
Trailing 8-4, the Golden Eagles refused to stop fighting and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh. La Sierra loaded the bases against Portillo, which resulted in Ipatzi making her second relief appearance of the afternoon. The drama unfolded as Ipatzi faced Pfenning with the bags full. Ipatzi got Pfenning on a comebacker, throwing home to force Maddie Lopez at the plate. Liliana Rodriguez popped up to Ipatzi to end the game, with the southpaw earning her second save of the year.
Why Is It Important?: Vanguard picked up two more wins without having to use either of its top two pitchers in Williams or Vanessa Robles.
What Was Said?: "It was great to see Mia throw her first win today," said Head Coach Sydney Lahners. "Today was an all around team day, and we are ready to take it into conference tomorrow!"
What's Next?: The Lions host Menlo for a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader on Friday, with the first game beginning at 1:00 p.m.
