LA MIRADA, Calif. --- For the second-straight day, Vanguard pulled away late as Biola lost 12-6 in the second game of a four-game GSAC series on Thursday at Eagles Diamond.
The Eagles drop to 16-8 on the season and to 10-7 in the conference with the loss. The Lions improve to 24-5 on the season and remain in first place in the GSAC with a 15-3 record.
Vanguard wasted no time getting on the board, scoring twice in the opening frame. Back-to-back singles by Zachary Leighton and Brandon Young started the rally with a sacrifice fly from Eric Krzysiak and RBI-groundout by Kip Masuda bringing them home.
The Lions added a four-spot in the third, the big blow coming off the bat of Tyson Leighton, who drilled a three-run shot to left field to make it 6-0.
Biola got a pair of those runs back in the fourth. After a dropped fly ball opened the inning, the Eagles got consecutive singles by
Armando Arzate and
Christopher Neal to bring home the first run.
Boone Farrington drew a walk to load the bases with no out and another walk to
Garrett Leon would drive in the second run of the inning. But despite having the heart of the order come up with the bases loaded, the Eagles were unable to push across another run as Dovel got an infield popout and a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
Vanguard would score one run in the top of the fifth on a solo shot by catcher Kip Masuda. But Biola answered right back with two in the bottom of the inning. Farrington led the inning off with a single. One out later, Fayard hit a double to put two in scoring position with one out. An infield groundout by Trevor Blood plated Farrington and and RBI-single by Daniel Bodermer drove in Fayard to make it 7-4.
After a scoreless sixth, Vanguard erupted for three run to break the game open. Brandon Young led the inning of with a triple off the glove of a diving Trevor Blood in left. Eric Krzysiak plated Young with a single, then came around to score on another home run by Masuda.
The Eagles closed the gap again late in the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth, taking advantage of an error to open the inning.
Brent Opdyke drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly and
Benji Sutherland followed with a pinch-hit RBI single to make it 10-6. Biola would load the bases with two out, but Farrington hit a line-drive to center to end the threat.
The Lions would add a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run home run by Tyson Leighton to cap the scoring.
Vanguard starter Jason Dovel pitched a solid five innings, allowing four runs--three earned--on six hits to pick up the win and 4-0 on the season.
Harder had a sub-par outing, allowing 10 runs--all earned--on 11 hits over seven innings, to take the loss and fall to 3-2.
The two teams close out the four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday (March 27) at Vanguard beginning at Noon.
