02/10/09

Vanguard Splits Nonconference Pair With Panthers

Patty Olvera

Melissa Forrester

Costa Mesa, Calif. – It was a beautifully sunny, yet breezy day to play softball, with the field just dry enough from three days of rain to handle a nonconference double header between the Vanguard Lions and the Chapman Panthers, who were playing for the first time this season. Vanguard earned a 3-1 victory in game one but the Panthers came back in the top of the seventh to take a 2-1 win in the nightcap to claim the split.

Sophomore Patty Olvera pitched a complete game in the opener, allowing just three hits over seven innings to the Panthers in her first start of the season. She walked two and struck out two Panthers to improve her record to 2-0.

The Lions supplied seven hits to support Olvera, scoring all three runs in the third inning off Chapman starter Ally Waffle. Sophomore Stephanie Leisenring doubled home Kasey Klarenbach and Sarah Howe for a 2-0 lead, and later scored VU’s final run on a single by sophomore Amanda Young.

Melissa Forrest started in the circle for the Lions in game two. Scattering three hits and striking out four batters, Forrester escaped a bases loaded, one-out jam in the top of the sixth to maintain a 1-0 lead. Freshman Emilee Reaber relieved Forrester in the top of the seventh and promptly recorded the first out. A one-out single paired with a two-base VU error put the tying run at third base. A single and another VU error tied the game and advanced the runner to second base. The Panthers used an infield hit and a wild pitch to place runners at second and third base, and a sacrifice fly by Jessica Mitchell to take a 2-1 lead.

Vanguard scored its lone run in the third inning as freshman Amanda Omahen singled, stole second base, and scored on a two-out single by junior April Glenn. The Lions stranded a runner at third base in the bottom of the sixth and headed into the bottom of the seventh trailing 2-1. Chapman hurler Katie Finley retired the Lions in order in the bottom of the seventh to earn her first win of the season, while Reaber registered her first loss of the year.

Vanguard (3-2) continues the season on Monday when the Lions host Menlo College in another nonconference double header.

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore