SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- The beginning of a flight-critical Golden State Athletic Conference series for Vanguard baseball did not end as expected Friday, as the Master's snuck a late run across the plate to win 4-3.  The Lions are now just one game up on TMU for fifth in the GSAC standings as the series returns to Costa Mesa tomorrow.  The Blue and Gold are now 24-17 overall and 7-12 in conference play, with TMU jumping to 19-15, 6-13.
 
What Happened?  While the Lions could not come up with much in the top of the first, Spencer Edmondson got pegged for one run in the bottom half.  The Mustangs used a walk, a fly out, and a single to gallop off to a 1-0 edge.  But the VU starter received some support from the offense in the top of the third.  Evan Avitia singled with two outs and up came Tevis Payne, who bashed a home run over the left-field fence to put Vanguard up 2-1.
 
However, the advantage did not hold for long, as a two-run homer for TMU in the bottom of the inning returned the lead to the hosts at 3-2.  Edmondson would shut down the TMU bats from there, as he completed six and a third in the game.  His effort helped keep the fourth and fifth innings scoreless and that would pay off, as VU knotted things up in the top of the sixth.  Nino Vultaggio led off the frame and lined a double to the left-center fence to reach scoring position.  Oscar Diaz then hit a bouncer to the TMU third baseman and he made a bobble that allowed the ball to roll behind him.  Vultaggio raced around to score to tie the game at 3-3.
 
The next two frames once more saw zeros on the scoreboard, but the Mustangs revealed a dagger in the bottom of the eighth.  Jake Hiner hit the leadoff hitter and then gave up a walk to put two runners on.  Jesus Munguia entered to try to stem the tide but a single for the Mustangs brought in a run to put the hosts ahead 4-3. 
 
The Lions went down in order in the top of the ninth to end up on the wrong side of the decision.  TMU tallied four runs on six hits, had one error, and left seven runners on base.  VU scored three runs on seven hits, had one error, and stranded five players on the base paths.
 
Edmondson did not factor in the decision but recorded 11 strikeouts while giving his team a chance to win.  Noah Madole went 2-for-4 to lead the lineup from the plate, while Payne picked up the only two RBI on the squad for the game. 
 
What's Next?  VU will play TMU tomorrow starting at 10:00 a.m., weather permitting, for a doubleheader against TMU.