COSTA MESA, Calif. — Vanguard University put another Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader in the books, but fell short of No. 15 Hope International University in both contests. The Royals jumped onto an early lead in the day's opener and fended off the Lions efforts for the remainder of the game. In the nightcap, a pitcher's duel kept the game quiet for three innings until HIU broke through the barrier. With the loss, Vanguard drops to 35-6 overall and 5-4 in GSAC, while HIU improves to 32-4 and 6-2 in conference.
Game 1: Hope International 6, Vanguard 2
The Royals got the best of the Pride in game one and posted 11 hits on the game while Vanguard posted four. Cassie Balswick (SO/Turlock, CA) logged a 3-for-4 game at the plate while Kaitlin Estes (SR/Costa Mesa, CA) went 2-for-3. Johanna Lewis (FR/Madera, CA) and Payton Ross (SR/Hughson, CA) each chipped in one hit a piece. Vanessa Dwyer (SO/Temple City, CA) started out in the circle and pitched 1.2 innings before Kolbi Tonini (JR/Reno, NV) relieved her. Tonini threw two strikeouts and walked two batters on 25 batters faced.
The Royals got a jump on the lead and scored all six of their runs by the third inning. Vanguard got a word in in the fourth frame on a double hit up the middle by Lewis. Ross singled and Estes doubled to left center to put bodies on base, and Lewis brought the pair home to score.
Game 2: Hope International 2, Vanguard 1
Courtney Thornhill (SO/Hughson,CA) carried the Pride through seven innings in the circle and threw two strikeouts, gave up seven hits and one earned run on 28 batters faced. Vanguard logged four hits on the game and fell seven hits shy of the Royals. Estes, Shaffer, Ross and Balswick put one hit a piece in the books for the Lions, while Belle Herrera (FR/Riverside, CA) picked up the lone RBI with Ross' run in the fourth inning.
A combined six batters from either team made an appearance at the plate in the first full inning, and Hope International sparked an offense in the top of the second. Two Royals reached base but were left stranded at the hands of the Lions. Vanguard struggled to make something happen in the bottom of the frame, and HIU broke through in the top of the third with their first run of the game. The Royals struck once more in the top of the fourth inning. The 2-1 deficit got the gears going in the Vanguard offense started as Ross singled to short to lead off. Shaffer singled to left field, advancing Ross, and both Herrera and Ross capitalized on an error committed by the HIU second basemen to score. Vanguard loaded the bases with two outs on the board, but an untimely groundout closed the inning. Vanguard worked to close the gap and logged one more hit in the sixth frame, but the Royals defense shut down the attempt.
Next Game: Wednesday, April 3rd against University of Antelope Valley at 2:00 p.m. (DH)
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