By Josh Banker
03/03/09
No Occident: Lions Get Ten in Win
Costa Mesa, Calif. – The Vanguard Lions busted out the sticks to pound out 12 hits en route a 10-6 non-conference win over the Occidental Tigers Tuesday afternoon.
Vanguard (3-9) has now won two in a row after snapping an eight-game losing streak Saturday with their home split of No.8 Azusa Pacific.
Third baseman Jason Schaniel went 3-for-5 on the afternoon with a game-high five RBIs, three of which came on a clutch two-out three-run homer in the seventh breaking open a close 5-4 game.
Schaniel started things off in the fourth for Vanguard after an RBI single by right fielder Derek Craddok and an RBI walk by Keegan Freeman made it 2-0 Lions. Schaniel then smacked a two-run single with the bases loaded to plate what would end up being the second and third of seven two-out runs on the afternoon.
Shane Day saw his Lions commit four errors in the field behind him, but in six innings he allowed just a pair of hits and one earned run with four strikeouts to improve to 1-1 on the season.
The Tigers (8-8) tied the game in the top of the sixth inning on an unearned run and an RBI hit by Anthony Salsedo, but the Lions roared back in the bottom half with an RBI single by center fielder Jacob Wood and Schaniel’s three-run home run.
Vanguard’s bullpen led by Matthew Curtis and Jordan Oseguera who allowed just two runs (one earned) over the final three innings to help seal the victory for the Lions.
Four Lions had multi-hit days with Schaniel, Craddock, Wood and designated hitter Eric Kryzsiak collecting nine hits in 16 at-bats (.563 average), four runs and eight RBIs.
Kristopher Suzuki took the loss in relief for Occidental as he went just one and one-third of an inning allowing a run and a hit to drop to 0-1 on the year.
The Lions return to conference action Thursday afternoon at 2:30 as they travel to nearby Irvine to tangle with the Concordia Eagles before returning home Saturday at 11 am for a double dip with San Diego Christian.
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