Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ROCKLIN, Calif. -- Vanguard softball tussled on the road against Jessup on Friday at a different location, as rain made the JU field unplayable.  The two sides tried to get in a complete doubleheader at Folsom Lake College, with Jessup staging a late charge to take game one 9-8.  But seesaw nature of the contest made game two start late, and the second game had to be halted in the sixth inning due a field reservation issue at 5:30 p.m.  The Lions trailed 6-2 at the time.  VU falls to 28-10 overall and 7-5 in GSAC action, while Jessup improves to 25-5, 7-3.
 
What Happened?  The opening inning was painful for both starters, but the Lions still held a lead after one frame.  Katie Blackenheim gave up a leadoff single to Amarah Farley, who hit the ball just to the left of second base.  Kamryn Walker bunted her to second and Noni Chaves, the third hitter in the lineup, fired a ball back up the middle for a single to put runners at the corners.  Chaves then stole second with Adriana Portillo at the plate, who then hit a chopper on the left side of the infield.  No one for Jessup could get there in time and Farley scored to put VU ahead 1-0.  Portillo swiped second with Mia Hernandez at the plate and the VU catcher followed that with a single to center field to push the lead to 2-0.  Marissa Gurrola was up next and she fired a ball on the left side of the infield that the Jessup shortstop could not handle, allowing Portillo to come home to extend the edge to 3-0.
 
But the hosts would reel VU back in, as Jessup used a single, a triple, and a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2 after one frame.  A JU home run in the bottom of the second tied things at 3-3, but the bats did not quit on Brianna Williams. 
 
Chaves started the top of the third by smashing a ball to the left-center fence for a double and Portillo put down a single in the infield to put runners at the corners.  Hernandez put Vanguard back on top 4-3, as she hit a grounder that allowed Chaves to score, with Hernandez reaching on a fielder's choice.  
 
The Warriors got runners on second and third in the bottom of the third in an attempted counterattack, but Williams and the defense shut them down after that.  However, Jessup did tie the game in the bottom of the fourth, with a sacrifice fly making it 4-4.
 
The Warriors then jumped on Williams in the bottom of the fifth, as JU got four runs via three singles and an error to lead 8-4.  Trailing for the first time in the game, VU did not falter and roared back into contention.  The squad started the rally with a Farley single and Walker followed her with a bouncing ball in the infield that she beat out to put two runners aboard.  Chaves continued her hot streak with a single up the middle to cash in Farley and she ended up on second after the throw home, with Walker getting to third.  Portillo took a walk to load up the bases and Bianca Morales came to the plate.  She launched a ball deep to right-center field and neither JU outfielder could get to it, as Morales hopped on second to clear the bases and knot the score at 8-8.
 
Unfortunately, JU got a leadoff home run in the bottom half to grab a 9-8 lead.  The Lions tried to claw a run across the plate in the top of the seventh, as VU juiced the bases, but the team could not bring anyone home.
 
JU scored nine runs on nine hits, two errors, and left six runners on base.  VU had eight runs, 11 hits, one error, and 11 runners left on base.  Williams had five strikeouts and falls to 12-5, while Serena Navarrete picked up the win in a relief effort for Jessup.  Chaves had a brilliant game from the plate, going 5-5, a career-best, with four singles and one double.  Farley had two hits in five at-bats and Morales paced VU with three RBI.
 
Game 2  The Lions again struck first in the second game of the day, as Farley got beaned to start the first inning.  She stole second and Chaves bunted her to third, with Portillo netting the RBI by slicing a single just past the JU pitcher.
 
Mia Iacomini, making her first career road start, gave up a single in the bottom of the first but that was it.  However, the Warriors got a two-run homer in the bottom of the second to dance to a 2-1 lead.  Vanessa Robles entered the fray in the bottom of the third, but Jessup loaded up the bases and scored on a fly ball in foul territory to extend the edge to 3-1. 

A leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth turned into a run for JU, as a throwing error trying to catch a runner stealing put the gap at 4-1.  Mari Ipatzi soon entered the game and the Warriors got a double to put their lead at 6-1, though Ipatzi soon retired the side.
 
Emma Noble got a single to start the top of the fifth and she got to second on a ground out.  Walker then slapped a ball to the right side of the infield and it bounced off of two JU gloves.  Walker beat the throw to first as Noble was rounding third, and she slid through the plate safely to cut the gap to 6-2, as Walker ended up at second base.
 
Down 6-2 entering the top of the sixth, the game had to be halted due to prior field reservations, and Jessup took the shortened win.

Walker had two hits for the Blue and Gold in three trips to the plate to pace the batting order.  Both Iacomini and Ipatzi recorded one strikeout.
 
Why is it Important?  Hope International won both games at Menlo and will enter a battle for the top spot in the conference against JU tomorrow.    
 
What's Next?  The Lions will swap with HIU and take on the Menlo Oaks tomorrow starting at noon.