COSTA MESA – Vanguard baseball won for the eighth time in nine games in sweeping a PacWest doubleheader against Menlo, posting 12-9 and 6-4 victories on Wednesday at Dean Harvey Field.

Both teams played home run derby in game one, as each team blasted three dingers. The Lions also applied pressure by drawing four walks and getting hit by a pitch six times – the second-most in a game this season.

The offensive fireworks calmed down significantly in game two as Spencer Edmondson and Maxwell Montplaisir held the Oaks to five hits. Freshman Colton Perez contributed his first two career collegiate home runs and Montplaisir succeeded with a scoreless outing out of the bullpen for the eighth consecutive appearance.

Colton Perez finished 3-for-8 with four runs scored and four RBI in the doubleheader. Tristan Gallegos extended his hit streak to six straight games, during which he is batting .474 (9-for-19). Fred Buckson continued his torrid onslaught on opposing pitchers, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI in game one. He lengthened his hitting streak to nine straight contests before going hitless in the nightcap.

Eight different Lions had at least one RBI across the two games. 

Buckson homered for the fourth time in the last six games and Josh Schleichardt went yard for the second straight contest with his blast in game one. Both Lion infielders are tied for the team lead with six home runs apiece.

VU has hit at least one home run in eight straight games. During that stretch, the team is hitting .344 (87-for-253) with 16 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs.

The Lions improved to 16-12 overall and 12-10 in the PacWest. The Oaks dropped to 4-20 and 2-16 in conference action.

What Happened?

Game 1 – Vanguard 12, Menlo 9

Extra base hits were on full display with the two teams combining for 10.

The Oaks started the scoring with two runs in the first via RBIs on a double and a triple. The Lions tied the game in the bottom half as Noah Madole drove in a run and Buckson scored on a wild pitch.

VU starter Jesus Barreto left the game after 1.1 innings and his replacement, Dakota Henson, started his stint by retiring five of the first six Oaks he faced.

But the Oaks scored twice in the fourth on Jayshaun Wise's two-run homer to take a 4-2 lead.

The Blue and Gold roared back in the bottom half, victimizing Menlo starter Chase Barsotti for five unearned runs. Colton Perez got aboard with one out on a fielding error by the Menlo shortstop. The Lions loaded the bases after Jarred Mazzaferro walked and Angel Perez got hit by a pitch. 

Jaxson Davis lifted a sac fly to right, scoring Colton Perez on what should have been the third out of the inning. The Lions took full advantage of the extended inning as Buckson and Schleichardt hit back-to-back bombs. Buckson's was a three-run shot while Schleichardt took the solo route.

A 7-4 lead was not safe as the Oaks rebounded to tie the score in the fifth. The big blow was a three-run home run by Jaden Fulsher, who drove in Samuel Brewer and Braydon Allie following consecutive one-out singles.

Kegan Wentz entered in place of Dakota Henson and got the next two outs. Undeterred, the Lions retook the lead with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Angel Perez put the Lions ahead with an RBI single and Buckson's sac fly made it 9-7 Lions.

The Lions charged forward with three insurance runs in the sixth. Madole and Levi Hall drew back-to-back walks in front of Colton Perez, who turned on a Nolan Rodriguez pitch and deposited a three-run shot onto the VU soccer turf in right field.

Ahead 12-7, the Lion bullpen held the Oaks scoreless over three of the last four innings. Menlo got two runs back in the seventh on a Ramone Valenzuela two-run roundtripper.

VU freshman Dylan Henson made his first appearance since March 1 against Azusa Pacific and pitched brilliantly in his two innings of work. He set down all six Oaks he faced, recording his first career save.

Wentz got the victory after getting three key outs in his relief stint. 

Donovan Kerr was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs in 1.1 innings of relief.

Game 2 – Vanguard 6, Menlo 4

Except for one tough inning, Edmondson was solid as he put up zeroes in five of the six innings he logged.

He got six of the first eight Oaks out to keep them off the scoreboard through the first two innings. The Lions scored a pair of runs in each of the first two frames, 

Davis reached on an Oak throwing error to lead off the first, and the Lions had runners at second and third following a one-out Schleichardt double. Gallegos fired a base hit into right to plate Davis, and Madole's RBI groundout gave VU a 2-0 lead.

In the second, Colton Perez slammed a solo home run to lead off the frame. Three consecutive Lions – Tyler Shigenaka, Angel Perez and Davis – delivered base hits to load the bases. Menlo starter Anthony Tellez was then called for a balk as Angel Perez scored to put the Blue and Gold up 4-0.

Edmondson encountered some trouble in the third, although the inning started off innocently enough on a 3-1 putout. 

But Justin Flannery got hit by a pitch followed by a Jake Warkentien walk. Brewer got aboard on a tough play at third which loaded the bases. Allie knocked in a pair of runs with a double to right, and Matt Morrison tied the score with a two-run base hit.

Edmondson kept the Menlo bats quiet in the fourth and fifth, and the Lions scored a run in each of those innings to take a 6-4 lead.

The Lions manufactured a run in the fourth as Colton Perez led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved to third on Shigenaka's fly out. Angel Perez drove in Colton Perez with a sac fly to right.

In the fifth, the Lions touched Tellez for another run as Gallegos doubled with two outs, scoring on Madole's single up the middle. Tellez went five innings, surrendering nine hits and six runs (five earned).

Edmondson started the sixth by hitting Fulsher with a pitch and walking Morrison. 

The Blue and Gold brought in closer Montplaisir and he immediately whiffed Bradley Morris and Valenzuela for the first two outs. He then stranded both runners on a fly out to end the inning.

The Point Loma transfer faced a bases loaded jam in the seventh as Menlo took advantage of a VU error and back-to-back hit by pitches. But the Irvine native got Fulsher to fly out, and he fanned Morrison to polish off his fourth save.

Montplaisir has tossed 11.1 straight scoreless innings and he has not allowed a run since February 6 versus Cedarville.

Edmondson earned the win to improve to 3-3, while Tellez took the loss to fall to 1-5.

What's Next?: Vanguard hosts Menlo for another doubleheader on Thursday at Dean Harvey Field. First pitch for game one is noon.