box game one | box game two
COSTA MESA, Calif. – With conference play at its midpoint, Point Loma Nazarene needed wins to jumpstart its season. Taking two from Concordia last week was a step in the right direction. On Friday, the Sea Lions took two steps back however, losing twice at last-place Vanguard 7-5 and 3-1.
Loma's hopes for being one of the six qualifying teams for the Golden State Athletic Conference postseason tournament took a big hit with the twin-killing. PLNU fell to 13-18 overall, 6-12 conference. The Green and Gold is currently in eighth place, three games in front of Vanguard which improved to 12-11, 3-9 GSAC.
The Sea Lions played from behind for most of the opener. Trailing 1-0 after VUSC's first-at bat, the Sea Lions went ahead 2-1 in the top of the second when Lucas DiCiccio and Tyler Nordgren each drove in a run.
PLNU's lead would hold up for only a few batters into the home half of the frame though, the Lions pushing across three runs.
Each side scored a run in the fifth, Clinton Harwick plating a PLNU runner with an infield single. Vanguard added two runs in the sixth to go out in front 7-3.
JJ Reading singled home Marcus Heisner in the seventh and Harwick plated Tyler Hanzawa with another single in the ninth to bring Point Loma to within two runs of Vanguard. But, with one out and runners on first and third, a double play -- the third of the day turned by the Lion defense -- ended the game.
PLNU's Justin Lawrence fell to 4-2 after allowing seven runs (four earned) in a five-inning start. The Sea Lion defense made two costly errors behind Lawrence. Josh Dexheimer finished the game with three scoreless innings on the mound.
Gabriel Garcia (3-3) was the winning pitcher for Vanguard. He threw eight innings, yielding four runs.
Point Loma outhit Vanguard 5-4 in the seven-inning nightcap. Three of the game's four runs came on two swings: Brandon Young's two-run homerun for VUSC in the first and Bryan Burkhead's solo slam for PLNU in the fourth.
The Lions added a big insurance run in the bottom of the fourth was the last time anyone crossed the plate Friday, though both teams had opportunities for more. PLNU's final threat ended after a lineout and a double play.
Sea Lion starter Chris Gonzales was the tough-luck loser, falling to 1-3 on the year. J.R.Bromberg earned the win for Vanguard.
The two teams will make their way down to San Diego for a twinbill on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am.
