Box Score LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola's offense came alive over the final three innings, but the pitching could not keep Vanguard off the board late as the Lions took the first game of a three-game GSAC series 7-3 on Friday afternoon on Eagles Diamond in La Mirada.
Biola drops to 13-10 on the season and suffers its fifth-straight GSAC loss, falling to 5-8 in conference play this season. The Lions improve to 9-8 and to 4-8 in the GSAC.
Freshman starter Josh Staumont had another up and down start, striking out 10 batters in seven innings, but allowing four runs--three earned--and allowing five wild pitches. Staumont threw 123 pitches in the game, but suffered the loss to fall to 3-2 on the season.
Vanguard got on the board in the third inning as Thomas Mobley drew a leadoff walk, moved to second and then third on wild pitches, then scored on a one-out single by John Collins.
In the fifth, Vanguard tacked on two more. With two out, Staumont appeared to have the final out via strikeout, but the ball was in the dirt and got away from catcher Sam Thorne, and kept the inning alive. Adonis Tountas followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Another wild pitch brought home the second run of the game and a single by Bryce Arroyo made it 3-0.
Biola had a chance to score in the bottom of the frame with runners at first and second with no outs. But Vanguard was able to record two quick outs on an infield pop out and strikeout. Johnny Farrington then singled up the middle and Thorne came charging around third, but was gunned at the plate to end the inning.
The Eagles did get on the board in the seventh as Thorne hit a solo shot to left field to make it 3-1.
But Vanguard answered right back with an unearned run in the top of the eighth as Arroyo doubled to right, was moved to third on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly scored him to make it a three-run game again at 4-1.
In the bottom of the eighth, Biola cut it to one as Paul Slater, Vince Lawrence and Benji Sutherland had back-to-back-to-back two-out doubles to make it 4-3 as the teams headed to the ninth.
But the Lions broke it back open as Adonis Tountas doubled home two runs with a two-out double, then scored on a single by Arroyo to put Vanguard up 7-3.
Kamakani Usui got the start for the Lions and went 7-2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. He was solid through the first six innings, allowing just four hits over that stretch.
The two teams return to the field on Saturday to conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Eagles Diamond.
