TURLOCK, Calif. – Vanguard softball opened up the Tournament of Champions, hosted by Stanislaus State, earning a split of two games at Pedretti Field on Friday.

The Lions outlasted San Francisco State by a 4-1 score in the opener before dropping a tough 2-1 decision to Sonoma State in the nightcap. 

Kamryn Walker, Adriana Portillo, Mia Hernandez and Emma Noble had hits in each game. Walker went 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI over the two contests. LeeAnne Miranda and Brianna Williams both pitched well, with the former picking up her first win of the season.

The Lions are now 2-7 on the season with three more games left to play in the tournament.

What Happened?

Vanguard 4, San Francisco State 1

Neither side got a hit in the first frame, as Miranda and Mari Takeda Bajan had clean innings. Hernandez doubled to left field in the top of the second inning to net the first hit in the contest, but the Blue and Gold could not get her home. The two sides got runners on base in the fourth inning as well, but both starters got through the mild danger.

However, the Lions picked up the offense with a quick shower in the top of the fifth. Lilyana Roth and Noble smacked singles to put two on with zero outs. Walker then throttled a single through the right side of the infield that brought Roth home and pushed Noble to second. Portillo then punched another single through the infield, and an error by the Gator center fielder allowed her to get to second while both Walker and Noble scored to increase the edge to 3-0. Hernandez batted the final run in of the inning via another single, as Vanguard took a 4-0 lead.

Miranda and company had a clean performance in the bottom of the fifth but the Gators scratched a run back in the bottom of the sixth. A single and an error put two runners on and a sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third.  A sacrifice fly brought in the lone run, as Miranda and the defense got three outs in the top of the seventh with only a lone single marring the frame.

The Lions scored four runs on seven hits, had one error and left five runners on base. SF State had one run, four hits, one error and four runners left on base. Hernandez and Noble each went 2-for-3 with three different VU hitters tallying one RBI. Miranda grabbed her first win of the year and threw 99 pitches over seven innings.

Sonoma State 2, Vanguard 1

Williams retired the first six Sonoma State hitters and Walker staked the right-hander to a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third.

Megan Ireland led off the frame, reaching base on a fielding error by the Seawolves third baseman. She stole second, and moved up another base on Amarah Farley's single to center.

Unfortunately, Walker's sac fly would be the only run the VU offense mustered, as Sonoma State's Charlie Johnson tossed a complete game. Johnson scattered six hits and the one run she allowed was unearned.

The Lions had two solid chances to score additional runs, loading the bases in the fifth on an Ireland hit by pitch and consecutive singles by Farley and Walker. But Johnson retired the next two batters on a fielder's choice – forcing out Ireland at the plate – and a fly out.

In the seventh, the Blue and Gold looked dangerous as Ireland drew a leadoff walk. With one out, Walker reached second on a fielding error by the first baseman, with pinch runner Andrea Connor sprinting to third. But Johnson buckled down again and got the final two Lions via a ground out and line out.

Williams suffered the hard luck loss after allowing a two-run home run to Sophia Newcomb in the bottom of the third.

She allowed just four hits and did not walk a batter during an 82-pitch outing. The senior also struck out four.

What's Next?: The Lions play twice on Saturday, taking on Chico State at 10:30 a.m. and Saint Martin's at 1:00 p.m.