IRVINE, Calif. -- The good times for Vanguard softball at the Great Park continued on Tuesday, as the Lions grabbed their ticket to the title round of the 2024 Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament with a 4-1 victory over Jessup.  Kamryn Walker had a double and a triple to cash in three runs and Brianna Williams fanned four batters in her second consecutive start.  The Lions go to 39-11 overall and JU falls to 36-8. 
 
What Happened?  Amarah Farley gave the Blue and Gold some early hope, as she led off the game with a screaming double down the left-field line, but VU could not bring her home.  Jessup got a hit in the bottom of the first, but Williams and the defense kept the Warriors off the board through two frames.
 
Vanguard flew into the lead in the top of the third, with Farley reaching base on an error by the JU second baseman.  Walker stepped up and belted a double off the fence in center field and Farley ran around the horn to score and put the Lions up 1-0.  That lead held until the bottom of the fifth, as Jessup brought a run across the plate. The leadoff batter singled and got to third on a bunt and a ground out.  The Warriors then picked up a walk and pulled off a double steal to level things at 1-1.
 
Each side had a hit in the sixth but could not score.  Gabby Ramirez had the VU single in the top half but she helped to end the JU side of the frame in the bottom half, as she, Adriana Portillo, and Williams combined to pick off a JU runner trying to steal third.
 
That brought the action to the seventh inning and the Lions left the Warriors behind with a trio of runs.  Aeri Corral reached on an error by the Jessup first baseman and Farley came to the plate next.  She dropped a bunt to get Corral to second, but her bunt was so good that she easily reached first for a single, with Corral reaching second regardless.  Walker then clobbered a ball to the right-center gap to send both runners home, as her triple put VU up 3-1.  Portillo then slashed a ball towards the JU second baseman, but she could not handle it, allowing Walker to score.
 
With a three-run cushion, Williams got a flyout and two groundouts to seal the victory in the bottom of the inning.
 
Vanguard scored four runs on six hits and left eight runners on base.  JU scored one run on six hits, had three errors, and left five runners on the base paths.  Williams goes to 19-5.  Farley and Walker each went 2-for-4 in the game. 
 
Why is it Important?  The Blue and Gold are now one win away from repeating as tournament champions and will have two games to accomplish the feat.  The Lions are now 3-2 against the Warriors this season.  Hope beat OUAZ 1-0 and then clobbered Jessup 10-4.  
 
What's Next?  The first championship game against HIU is at noon tomorrow.