COSTA MESA – Vanguard renewed an old baseball rivalry with CUI on Saturday at Dean Harvey Field, inspiring the Lions to sweep a doubleheader in their inaugural journey into PacWest play.

The Lions defeated the Golden Eagles by scores of 7-2 and 5-1 to extend their winning streak to five straight games. In its first clash against CUI in 10 years, VU put up crooked numbers in four of its six scoring innings and leaned on solid pitching to move to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the PacWest.

Five of the six Lion hurlers across the two games did not walk or hit a batter, and the defense committed just one error.

Offensively, Tyler Shigenaka recorded a pair of hits in both games, finishing 4-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBI. In addition, he hit his first career collegiate home run. Noah Madole continued his torrid start to the season, also going 4-for-7 and adding a pair of RBI. The senior outfielder is hitting .333 with a team-high tying 10 hits.

Tristan Gallegos and Josh Schleichardt each had a two-hit game, while Jaxson Davis and Evan Avitia both contributed two-RBI performances.

CUI had 10 hits in game one – three by Isaiah Walz – but were limited to just four hits in game two.

What Happened?

Game 1 – Vanguard 7, CUI 2

Edmondson struck out the first batter he faced, but served up a home run to Walz as the Lions faced an early 1-0 deficit. After allowing a two-out single, he picked off Nicholas Erickson to stomp out any further threat.

He settled down after that, retiring the next six hitters. In the fourth, he allowed back-to-back singles with no outs, but benefited from some excellent defense. Walz attempted to go first to third on Wyatt Madison's base knock, but got nailed at third on a laser from Shigenaka. Edmondson set down the next two Golden Eagles on a fly out and strikeout to end the inning.

In the sixth, the first two CUI batters got aboard via singles. After getting a fly out from Madison, Edmondson coaxed Erickson to line out to Gallegos at first – and Gallegos alertly doubled up Walz, who had strayed too far off the first base bag.

Edmondson yielded seven hits and the one run, walking none and fanning six in an 84-pitch effort.

The Lions had their hands full with CUI All-American pitcher Jake Covey, who put up zeroes in each of the first three innings. VU had at least one base runner in each frame, but could not capitalize.

But VU broke through with three runs in the fourth. Six straight Lions reached base safely. An Abe Hernandez walk, Shigenaka hit by pitch and Gallegos single loaded the bags, and Jaxson Davis walked to drive in the game-tying run.

Avitia then unloaded a two-RBI double to center to score Shigenaka and Gallegos as VU took a 3-1 lead. 

The Lions scored at least one run from the fourth through seventh innings. Shigenaka parlayed a one-out base hit into a run as he scored via a long double to right from Davis in the fifth.

Fred Buckson smacked a one-out double in the sixth, advanced to third on a wild pitch and touched home plate following Madole's RBI single.

Up 5-1, the Blue and Gold tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh. VU loaded the bases off CUI reliever Dominick Nunes on a single, hit by pitch and walk. Jarred Mazzaferro singled to center to advance everyone 90 feet, and Buckson drove in the seventh run on a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop.

Christopher Ceballos and Jacob Morales combined to toss the last three innings. The only other blemish was a CUI pinch hit home run from Niko Santamaria in the eighth.

Edmondson earned the win to improve to 2-0, while Covey fell to 1-1 with the loss.

Game 2 – Vanguard 5, CUI 1

The Lions fell behind 1-0 in the second inning as Santamaria, the benefactor of a game one opportunity, produced a sac fly. Erickson and Landry Spitler got aboard, were sacrificed up 90 feet, and Santamaria's fly to center scored Erickson.

That was the only blemish for VU starter Jesus Barreto, who worked through a pair of hits and three walks in a four-inning stint. He allowed the leadoff man to reach base in the third and fourth innings, but retired the next three hitters both times.

Vanguard responded by taking the lead for good in the third. Buckson and Schleichardt took hit by pitches from CUI starter Josh Pugh to put two runners aboard. Madole's sharp single to left brought home Buckson for the game-tying run, and Davis walked to load the bases. Shigenaka followed with the game-winning RBI on another single to left which scored Schleichardt.

The home side added three insurance runs in the fifth. Buckson earned a leadoff walk before stealing second and third. Madole also walked to place runners at the corners. Davis hit a grounder to CUI relief pitcher Conor Meehan, who got the force out at second while Buckson scored from third for the 3-1 lead.

Shigenaka then turned on a Meehan offering and deposited it over the left field fence. The two-run bomb gave the Lions a 5-1 lead. 

Dylan Scott and Maxwell Montplaisir tossed a combined three scoreless innings of relief to shut the door on the Golden Eagles. Scott surrendered a pair of hits with one strikeout, while Montplaisir retired the side in order in the seventh.

Barreto collected the win to improve to 2-0, while Pugh was saddled with the loss. He fell to 1-1.

What's Next?: The Lions continue their four-game series with the Golden Eagles, playing a doubleheader on Monday in Irvine. The first game will begin at 2:00 p.m.