IRVINE, Calif. -- A Pacific West Conference doubleheader for VU softball against CUI on Saturday again saw the Blue and Gold snag a share of the spoils. The Lions grabbed the first contest over one of the top three pitchers in the conference, Kacie Gossett, with a 6-5 win, though the Golden Eagles captured game two 10-2 in five innings. VU went to 20-27 overall and 13-15 in league games, while CUI went to 36-12, 26-6.
What Happened? The Lions scored in the second to tumble ahead 3-0, with four hits doing the damage.
Adriana Portillo slapped a single to right field with one out to start the rally, and
Bella Bastien beat out an infield single to put two on with two outs.
Megan Ireland was then hit by a pitch to load up the bases, bringing up
Lilyana Roth. The junior snapped a single down the left-field line to cash in two runs, while a single by
Kamryn Walker down the right-field line brought Ireland in to cap the offensive outburst.
After the Golden Eagles got a run in the bottom half, Vanguard countered in the fourth, with
ChaCha Miranda starting a nice sequence with a leadoff single. Ireland took a one-out walk to put two aboard, and a CUI error on a grounder by Roth allowed both to score to push the advantage to 5-1. However, a pair of singles by the Golden Eagles, and a grounder that turned into a double play for VU, got CUI its second run of the game, as the hosts trailed 5-2.
Mari Ipatzi continued to hold CUI relatively in check, but Concordia showed fortitude to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth, using three hits to make it 5-5.
Despite that, the Lions scored the winning run in the sixth, with Roth getting aboard via a single with one out.
Andrea Connor drew a walk, and an error on a grounder by the Concordia shortstop hit by
Leah Mays was the miscue VU needed, as Roth scored to put the Lions ahead 6-5.
Ipatzi and the defense did the rest to preserve the victory, as Ipatzi improved to 8-6. She picked up four strikeouts in the contest and threw 133 pitches. The Blue and Gold had an error-free game, with six runs on eight hits, while CUI had five runs on nine hits and two costly errors. Roth, Walker, and Miranda all had two hits, with Roth leading the way with four RBI.
Game 2
The Blue and Gold struck first again in the nightcap, as Ireland and Roth took back-to-back walks to open the game.
Kayla Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to load up the bases, and a fielder's choice hit by Mays brought Ireland home.
Preslee Brower accepted a base on balls to juice the bases once more, and a Portillo single cashed in Roth, but Mays was thrown out trying to score from second.
But in the bottom half, the Golden Eagles used a single and a double to vault to a 3-2 edge before striking for six runs in the bottom of the second to lead 9-2.
Lauren Cantwell replaced
Vanessa Robles, and the ship steadied, but the damage had been done, and CUI went on to win 10-2 after five innings. VU had four hits in five innings.
What's Next? Vanguard welcomes the Azusa Pacific Cougars for the final time as PacWest foes next Saturday for a noon doubleheader.
