ROCKLIN, Calif. -- Vanguard softball returned on Saturday to conclude the Pacific West Conference series at Jessup and again went 1-1.
Mari Ipatzi continued to perplex the Warriors, as she picked up her second win in a row in game one with a 4-2 decision, but JU had the best offensive game of the series in the finale to win 7-3. Vanguard went to 10-19 overall and 3-8 in PacWest play, while Jessup went to 13-14 overall and 10-8 in conference games.
What Happened? A three-run downpour opened the initial game for VU, with
Megan Ireland and
Kamryn Walker landing back-to-back singles. An error on a grounder hit by
Adriana Portillo loaded up the bases, and
Kayla Rodriguez beat out an infield single, which allowed Ireland and Walker to score. Ahead 2-0, a sacrifice fly courtesy of
ChaCha Miranda put the Lions up 3-0.
It was similarly not easy for Ipatzi in the first, as two singles and a triple by the Warriors made it 3-2 in a short span. However, Ipatzi got the final two batters out to leave a JU runner at third, and she and the defense put a cap on Warrior scoring the rest of the way. While Jessup had four hits over the next four frames, including four runners in scoring position, Ipatzi and company worked out of every jam, and the starter retired the last six batters in a row.
The offense lifted an insurance run on the board in the top of the fourth, as
Preslee Brower and
Leah Mays had back-to-back one-out singles. Ireland hit a grounder to short, but another bad throw meant everyone reached safely, with Brower turning around third and scoring on the sequence.
The Blue and Gold had six hits, one error, and left seven runners on base in the 4-2 victory, while JU had seven hits, five errors, and seven runners left aboard. Ipatzi reset her season-high for strikeouts, going from six on Friday to seven on Saturday, and she improved to 2-3 on the season. Six different VU hitters had one single in the win.
Game 2
Mia Iacomini went the distance in game two after not giving up a run on Friday in three frames, but unlike Ipatzi, JU seemed prepared to see her pitches. The home side bagged four runs in the first, with most of the damage coming from a three-run homer to center field. However, the Lions diced two runs off the gap in the second and third innings.
Singles from
Tiffany Pope, Mays, and Ireland contributed to Pope scoring to make it 4-1 in the top of the second, and Miranda and Portillo executed a double steal in the third to make it 4-2. Despite the progress, Jessup used a single, a walk, and a double to respond in the fourth to go ahead 5-2.
Portillo took a 1-0 pitch in the fifth and bashed it off the fence in left field to open the frame, and a Pope single two batters later brought her home to bring Vanguard within two again. Unfortunately, JU connected for two runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the gap at 7-3, and the home side retired Vanguard in order in the top of the seventh.
Jessup had eight hits, one error, and three runners left on base, while VU had 11 hits, two errors, and 11 players left on the base paths. Walker, Pope, and Mays all had two hits for Vanguard. Iacomini had a pair of Ks and walks and was charged for only five of the seven JU runs.
What's Next? The Lions comes home and begins a long home stand against all three Hawaii schools, beginning with two games against Hawaii Hilo on Friday at 2:00 p.m.
