COSTA MESA -- Vanguard softball was looking to continue its dominant run in Golden State Athletic Conference action Thursday, but the team could not solve Hope International pitcher Allie Puente. The Royals played well behind their ace to pick up both wins with scores of 2-1 and 3-1 to improve to 26-7 overall and 6-4 in GSAC play, while the Lions fall to 28-8, 7-3.
What Happened? The marquee pitching matchup in the GSAC between Puente and
Brianna Williams did not disappoint, as the two limited the offenses throughout the game. Puente had 11 strikeouts but gave up six hits, while Williams had three Ks and allowed five hits. Though HIU had the opening hit of the contest in the top of the first, the Lions turned a tidy double play behind Williams, with
Ashley Klopfenstein making a glove flip to second to kick it off.
Vanguard got runners on first and second thanks to singles by
Marissa Gurrola and
Aeri Corral, but Puente escaped without giving up a run. The Royals finally opened the scoring in the top of the fifth, as HIU used a leadoff double and a single to take a 1-0 edge.
Gurrola got another single to open the fifth, but two strikeouts by Puente denied the Lions again. But that soon changed.
Kamryn Walker started the bottom of the sixth with a deep shot to center field that one-hopped the fence to put her on second.
Noni Chaves got her to third base with a ground out and
Adriana Portillo stepped to the plate. With a full count and the outfielders shaded in, Portillo clobbered a ball over the HIU center fielder for a triple, easily bringing in Walker to tie things at 1-1. But that, unfortunately, was the only VU run of the game.
With each team quiet in the seventh, the international tiebreaker rule came into play in the eighth and HIU bunted their placed runner on second over to third. Williams got a huge strikeout for the second out, but the next Hope batter lined a double down the left-field line to put the visitors ahead 2-1.
Walker was put on second to start the bottom of the eighth and Chaves bunted her to third. But despite a a valiant effort, VU could not bring her home, as HIU won 2-1.
HIU had two runs on five hits and left three runners on base. VU had one run, six hits, and eight runners left on base. Gurrola was 2-for-3 to lead VU, while Williams dropped to 12-4 for the season.
Game 2
Vanessa Robles did not allow a hit in the top of the first and
Amarah Farley got the first VU hit to start the bottom half of the inning. She then stole second and got to third on a ground out by Walker, with another ground out by Portillo bringing Farley home to push Vanguard ahead 1-0.
Neither squad could muster a hit in the second or third innings, but the Royals made a thrust in the top of the fourth, as a walk and a single knotted things at 1-1. But Robles did not get too rattled, as she got a couple of line outs to end the frame, stranding HIU players on second and third.
A double to the right-center gap for
Bianca Morales started the bottom of the fifth for the Blue and Gold, and the HIU coach felt that things were a bit shaky for Grace Craig in the circle. He brought Puente back in to pitch and she was quickly back in top form. Corral pinch ran for Morales and got to third on a past ball, but Puente retired the side after that.
Hope International put up two more runs in the top of the sixth to surge ahead 3-1 and Puente did not allow a VU batter to reach base in the final two frames to give the Royals the 3-1 win.
HIU scored three runs on six hits and left five runners aboard. VU had one run on three hits and left two runners aboard. Robles falls to 7-2 and Puente goes to 18-6, picking up seven more Ks in her three innings of work.
What's Next? The Blue and Gold will start the northern California trip with two games at Jessup on Friday, April 5, starting at 2:00 p.m.
