TURLOCK, Calif. -- The Vanguard softball team concluded the Stanislaus Tournament of Champions yesterday with an 8-0 blanking of Simon Fraser in six innings to give VU some positive energy before Pacific West play gets underway. The Lions got a quality outing from freshman pitcher
Summer Stephens and scored all eight runs in the top of the sixth to force the mercy rule in the bottom half. The Lions are set to start PacWest action at the end of the week and enter league action at 4-8 overall. SFU fell to 4-6.
What Happened? Neither side had much going from the plate through four innings. Simon Fraser got the first hit of the game in the bottom of the second but VU turned a tidy double play in then and again in the third inning to negate the SFU offense.
Megan Ireland had the first hit for the Blue and Gold in the bottom of the second and she got all the way to third, but the Lions could not cash her in.
Simon Fraser almost got to Stephens in the bottom of the fifth as the Red Leafs got runners to second and third with two outs, but the VU starter got a groundout to retire the side. Fortunately, Stephens could breathe easily after that, as the offense roared into life in the top of the sixth.
Amarah Farley led off with a single and
Kamryn Walker was given the sign to bunt her to second. However, when the Red Leafs tried to throw out Farley running to the bag, they sailed the throw, allowing the Lions to arrive safely at second and third.
Mia Hernandez was next in line and she clobbered a double to right field to clear the bases and put Vanguard ahead 2-0.
Adriana Portillo then slapped a single and got to second on a bad throw from the outfield, which also allowed Hernandez to score. An error by the SFU shortstop on a grounder by
Aeri Corral put runners at the corners and
Lilyana Roth dropped a bunt and beat out the throw to load up the bases. SFU got two outs after that, but
Andrea Connor kept the inning alive by smacking a single to right to score two runners to send VU ahead 5-0. With runners on second and third, Farley walloped a double to center to clear the bases and put the Lions up 7-0, with a Walker single bringing Farley home to give VU an 8-0 lead.
The Lions had eight runs on nine hits, one error, and four runners left on base. SFU had five hits, four errors, and five runners left on base. Stephens went five innings and picked up her first collegiate win, while
Mari Ipatzi threw the last frame for VU and had two strikeouts. Hernandez and Farley each had two RBI and two hits to pace the lineup, though everyone in the order either had a hit or reached base at least once in the game.
What's Next? Vanguard starts league play at Dominican on Friday, with a doubleheader starting at noon on both Friday and Saturday in the first matchup with the Penguins since 2009.
