Vanguard Sweeps Raiders
COSTA MESA, Calif. – Early morning rain threatened to erase a non-conference double header between the Vanguard Lions and the Southern Oregon Raiders. However, the brisk winds were enough to dry up the field and allow a cloudy, cool, and breezy afternoon of softball. The Lions took advantage of the opportunity to sweep the NAIA Region I Raiders, winning 9-5 and 7-2.
Game one featured 18 hits between the teams as the Lions were out-hit 11-7 in the seven-inning affair. However, Vanguard was disciplined enough to take seven walks, adding fuel to the offense early in the game. In fact, the first three Lion hitters walked in the bottom of the first inning. All three also scored as the hosts sent seven batters to the plate and took a 3-0 lead heading into the second inning.
Two more walks in the third inning set the table for a two-run double by Angela St. Croix, an RBI ground out by Stephanie Leisenring, and a run-scoring single by Patty Olvera. Leading 7-0 after three innings, the Lions added one run in the fifth and sixth innings to complete their scoring.
Senior Jennifer Olvera worked the first four innings in the circle to claim her fifth win of the season. Sprinkling five singles and a double along the way, SOU scored its only run off Olvera on a sacrifice fly and had a second runner thrown out at the plate in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Bethany Dempster inherited a 7-1 lead as she relieved Olvera in the top of the fifth inning. A lead off double by Joelle Riekeman would eventually cost the Lions a run as she later scored on a wild pitch. SOU tacked on three more runs on four consecutive Raider singles in the top of the seventh. Dempster recorded the final two outs to end the game and put the 9-5 victory in the book. Olvera, now 5-0, struck out eight batters in the four-inning outing while allowing only her fourth run of the season.
Sophomore Kelsey Boyer took the mound for a solid start in game two for the Lions. The Raiders scored an unearned run in the fourth inning and a solo run in the sixth, but it was not nearly enough as the Lions tallied seven runs on their side of the scorebook. Boyer scattered seven hits en route to her fourth win of the season and registered a complete game as the game was called in the top of the seventh due to darkness.
Junior Sarah Howe started VU’s scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Leading off with a walk, Howe advanced to second on a single by April Glenn, and scored when the Raiders could not handle a sharp liner to centerfield by Jen Olvera.
The Lions pushed their lead to 5-0 with a four-run third inning as Glenn started the rally with a one-out single. Jenna Bergh walked to put two runners on and St. Croix delivered a run-scoring double to plate Glenn. Freshman Kaysie Flasck sent a two-run rocket to right-center and trotted to second with a double. Flasck advanced to third on an error and scored on a throwing error by the Raiders to complete the third inning.
Vanguard’s last runs of the day came in the fourth inning when Glenn singled and stole second with one out. Another walk to Bergh would put Jen Olvera in position for an RBI single and St. Croix singled home Bergh to post VU’s seventh and final run.
SOU drops to 0-6 with the losses and will continue their trip to southern California at the Cal Baptist Tournament this weekend.
Vanguard, now 12-2 overall, will be back for its third double header of the week with a non-conference matchup against Chapman University on Saturday. Game one begins at noon at the VU softball field.