02/05/09

Lions Win Mud Bowl Over La Sierra

Costa Mesa, Calif. – An afternoon of scattered rain showers made for a cold, wet day of softball at the Vanguard softball field today. Hosting La Sierra University for a nonconference double header, the Lions came away with a sloppy 18-6 victory in a rain-delayed game one. With more rain coming and darkness approaching, game two was called before it began.

Light rain came down with the first pitch of game one as the Golden Eagles batted in the top of the first inning. La Sierra plated two runs on two hits, a walk, and two hit batters off VU starting pitcher Kelsey Gunneman. The Golden Eagles added four more runs in the top of the second inning with three coming on a bases-clearing double by Tawnee Rivera.

The Lions scored their first run in the bottom of the second inning before posting a 13-run third inning. Senior Sarah Howe and freshman Amanda Plum picked up inside-the-park home runs in the third as the Lions took a 14-6 lead heading into the top of the fourth inning. Howe added a two-run homer over the left-center field fence in the fourth to score two of VU’s final four runs.

Sophomore Patty Olvera took over on the mound for the Lions in the third inning and collected her first win of the season. She held the Golden Eagles hitless while walking two and striking out four in three shutout innings of work.

La Sierra drops to 0-5 with the loss while the Lions improve to 2-1 with the win. Vanguard is back in action next Tuesday when the Lions host Chapman University in a nonconference double header. Game one begins at 1:30 p.m.

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