Lions on fire at Biola
LA MIRADA — The Golden State Athletic Conference’s decision to trim its 42-game conference schedule to 30 this season created a need for more nonconference contests.
Biola University, which shares GSAC alignment with Vanguard, is likely feeling fortunate that the three-game series completed against the No. 22-ranked Lions on Saturday won’t count in the conference standings.
Coach Rob Pegg’s Lions (7-1) swept a doubleheader Saturday at Biola (3-5) to wrap up a series conquest in which it outscored the Eagles, 30-5.
Vanguard produced a season-best 21 hits and 17 runs in a 17-1 Game 1 triumph Saturday, before earning a culminating 7-2 win.
Vanguard was 30 for 80 in the doubleheader (.375) and belted 11 extra-base hits. The Lions, who reached the NAIA World Series last season, are averaging 8.4 runs and 11.3 hits per game this season. They are batting .331 as a team and have a collective slugging percentage of .489 with 31 extra-base hits (to the opponents’ six).
And pitching has been just as impressive as the offense. The Lions’ team earned-run average is 1.19 over 68 innings, during which opponents are batting a mere .203.
Defense has stepped of lately, as well. After committing 11 errors in the first four games, one error in the second game Saturday broke a string of three straight errorless outings. And there were several web gems on the day.
Senior returning all-conference shortstop Jose Rojas led a parade of offensive heroes. He went six for eight with six runs batted in, two doubles, one home run and two steals in the two games.
Senior left fielder Brandon Sandoval, another returning all-conference performer, was five for nine with a stolen base and scored four runs in the two games, while senior center fielder Paul Keating was five for 10 with two RBIs and three runs.
Junior right fielder Brock Eissman had three doubles in three at-bats, drove in three runs and scored three in the opening game, in which freshman second baseman Sam Neufeld was four for five with two RBIs and three runs.
Senior Ryan Heinle allowed six hits and one earned run in six innings to win the first game and improve to 2-0. He has now allowed one earned run in 12 innings this season.
Freshman left-hander Tyler Steele did not allow a run in 4 1/3 innings to earn the Game 2 victory. Steele, who wears jersey No. 0, is living up to that billing as a collegian. He has not allowed a run in 9 1/3 innings this season and is 2-0.
Vanguard senior all-conference returner Sean Isaac, who won the opening game at Biola on Friday, is 3-0, but has allowed four earned runs in 20 innings this season, giving him a 1.80 ERA that ranks ninth on the staff.
Jake Mellenthin, Chris Lumanlan and Kurt Gairing pitched scoreless relief innings in the first game Saturday, and senior closer Michael Jordan did the same in the second game. They are four of seven Vanguard pitchers who have not allowed an earned run this season (in 21 combined innings). Three other Lions’ hurlers have surrendered one earned run apiece (in 20 1/3 combined innings).
Pegg, whose team is one win away from matching its best start in a seven-season span that has produced opening records including 7-1 (this season), 8-1 in 2014, 8-2 in 2012, and 7-2 in 2010 and 2015, had plenty to smile about following Saturday’s action.
“The guys played really well this weekend,” Pegg said. “We really had a complete weekend. We got good pitching, offense, defense, the whole package. And we had good energy.”
With just four stolen bases in two games Saturday, the Lions barely had a chance to show off the team speed that has produced 21 steals in 22 attempts this season.
Rojas, who had 12 homers, 57 RBIs and won the NAIA Gold Glove award last season, is now batting .571 (16 for 28) with two home runs and 14 RBIs this season. He is slugging 1.036.
Eissman, who bats third, one spot in front of Rojas, is hitting .467 with one homer, eight doubles and 15 RBIs. He is slugging .838.
“Those two guys are leading the way,” Pegg said of Rojas and Eissman. “One of them is going to get you eventually.”
Eventually, the Lions, who open conference play Friday at William Jessup, hope to get Biola and the rest of the GSAC when it counts in the standings.
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Nonconference
Game 2
Vanguard 7, Biola 2
SCORE BY INNINGS
VU 201 310 0 – 7 9 1
Biola 000 002 0 – 2 7 1
Steele, Arriaga (5), Jordan (7) and Betttencourt; Diamartich, Jang (5), Brouwer (7) and Shin. W – Steele, 2-0. L – Diamartich, 0-1. 2B – Keating (VU), Rojas (VU). HR – Rojas (VU), Bettencourt (VU), de Watteville (B).
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Game 1
Vanguard 17, Biola 1
SCORE BY INNINGS
VU 623 203 100 – 17 21 0
Biola 000 010 000 – 1 6 6
Heinle, Mellenthin (7), Lumanlan (8), Gairing (9) and Wright, Luckett (8); Gallarda, McCarrell (5), Valente (7), Ihrig (9) and Thorne, Hughes (7). W – Heinle, 2-0. L – Gallarda, 1-1. 2B – Vega (VU), Eissman (VU) 3, Rojas (VU), Wetherell (VU). 3B – Sandoval (VU), Neufeld (VU).
