College softball: Vanguard splits at Pt. Loma

SAN DIEGO - Vanguard University junior first baseman Cheri Smith

went 3 for 3, including a two-run single in the first inning to provide

the difference in a 2-1 Golden State Athletic Conference softball victory

that allowed the visiting Lions to split a season-ending doubleheader

Saturday with Point Loma Nazarene.

Gina Liebengood earned the complete-game victory for the Lions in the

first game triumph, scattering seven hits and allowing no earned runs to

improve to 19-9. Liebengood outdueled Pt. Loma’s Leslie Ludlow, who lost

for only the third time in 23 decisions.

Andrea Saucedo went 2 for 4, while Nikki Benning got one hit and

scored a run for the Lions.

In the second game, Pt. Loma prevailed, 3-1, behind the two-hit

pitching of Julie Shute.

Benning, a senior center fielder, and sophomore left fielder Celina

Camarillo accounted for the Vanguard hits in Game 2, while Camarillo, who

doubled and stole third in the seventh, scored the lone run on a

groundout by freshman catcher Rachael Rolle.

Vanguard (34-20, 13-11 for fourth place in the GSAC) completes its

season ranked No. 21 in the NAIA.

Pt. Loma (26-9, 17-7), third in the GSAC, advances to the NAIA Region

II Tournament.

GOLDEN STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

First game

Vanguard 2, Pt. Loma 1

Vanguard 200 000 0 - 2 7 3

Pt. Loma 001 000 0 - 1 7 2

Liebengood and Rolle; Ludlow and Yanez. W - Liebengood, 19-9. L -

Ludlow, 20-3.

Second game

Pt. Loma 3, Vanguard 1

Vanguard 000 000 1 - 1 2 6

Pt. Loma 001 020 x - 3 3 1

Atchley, Liebengiid (5) and Rolle; Shute and Yanez. W - Shute, 16-6. L

- Atchley, 6-7.