IRVINE, Calif. – Vanguard had a rough start in its Golden State Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament opener and could not recover, falling 14-5 to fourth-seeded OUAZ on Monday at the Orange County Great Park.

The fifth-seeded Lions dug themselves a big hole, trailing 12-0 after four innings. The Spirit pounded out a 16-hit attack with eight of their position starters collecting at least one hit.

The Lions scored five runs over the final three innings, but it was not nearly enough as they fell to 26-22 on the season. OUAZ improved to 33-15 overall.

VU is now 1-5 all-time at the OC Great Park in the GSAC Tournament and has lost five straight games dating back to 2022.

Corey Jarrell, Noah Madole and Adam Stevens combined for nine of VU's 12 hits as well as driving in all five runs. Jarrell was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI and Madole finished 3-for-5 with an RBI. Stevens came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI.

Spencer Edmondson struggled in two-plus innings, as the right-hander gave up five hits and six runs. Reliever Jackson Webber yielded seven hits and five runs in one inning of work. Daniel Vega, Kegan Wentz and Kevin Pence also saw action on the mound, with Wentz eating up 3.2 innings.

What Happened?

OUAZ scored three runs in the first on a Logan Meyer RBI double and a two-RBI single from Daniel Durazo. The Spirit extended their lead to 5-0 with a two-run second, as Nick Lustig's single scored a pair of runs.

The Spirit broke the game wide open with a six-run uprising in the third. The first seven hitters reached on a walk, five singles and a double. OUAZ loaded the bases with no outs and Owen Prendergast brought in a pair of runs on a single to right.

WIth Christian Powell on third, Prendergast was thrown out attempting to steal second. However, Powell scored on the throw for the third OUAZ run in the inning. Lustig drove in his third run of the game with another RBI knock as Nathan Tarver scored following a single and a Gabriel DeJesus double.

DeJesus scored the fifth OUAZ run on a Webber wild pitch, and Joey Winters made the score 11-0 on a single to right that plated Lustig.

The Spirit collected a run for the fourth straight inning as Vega's wildness brought in Tarver, who got aboard on a two-out single. DeJesus got hit by a pitch to put two runners aboard, and Tarver eventually came home on consecutive wild pitches.

Wentz pitched well in relief, retiring nine of the 11 batters he faced from the end of the fourth through the seventh. He was charged with a pair of runs in the eighth after allowing a Durazo double and Powell walk to start the inning. Pence inherited both runners and they scored on a Prendergast single and Tarver sac fly.

The Lions finally broke through on OUAZ starter Zach Hangas, who allowed five hits and two runs over 6.2 innings. Jarrell and Antonio Omphroy reached base on singles and Tevis Payne walked to load the bases in the seventh. Stevens roped a double down the left field line to score Omphroy and Jarrell as the Lions got on the scoreboard for the first time. That chased Hangas from the game as OUAZ summoned Josiah Dominguez from the bullpen. Dominguez got Fred Buckson to pop up to squash the rally.

Jarrell drove in Oscar Diaz with an single to right center in the eighth, and the Lions plated two more runs in the ninth as Madole and Jarrell drove in runs on a double and single, respectively.

Why Is It Important?: The Lions have a difficult path to the championship, needing to win five straight games to earn the title.

What's Next?: The Lions first elimination test takes place against No. 3 seed Arizona Christian on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.