COSTA MESA, CALIF. – Never giving up was the attitude for 19th-ranked OUAZ baseball on Friday night, as they rallied with eight runs in the ninth inning against Vanguard and nearly stealing the first game of the series. The Spirit would need a similar rally in the first game on Saturday, and rallied from behind again in the final game, to win the doubleheader, and a critical GSAC series.
Game 1: OUAZ 10, Vanguard 9
The Spirit fell behind right away on Saturday, as Vanguard scored seven runs in the first inning for a 7-0 lead. The Lions had five hits and two walks, taking advantage at every turn to build its lead.
OUAZ did not trail for too long, as they responded with a seven-spot of their own in the third inning. Five of the first six batters reached for the Spirit, and in total the team had six hits and a walk to tie the game.
The big hit of the explosive third inning was a three-run home run courtesy of Sergio Alfaro that pulled the Spirit within two. The game-tying hit was a bases-loaded single by Matthew Carter, who brought in two runs to cap off the seven-run frame.
The Spirit would take the lead in the next inning, as three consecutive RBI singles would give OUAZ the 10-7 advantage. Vanguard would answer right back with two runs of their own, and the teams combined for 19 runs in four frames.
Despite a torrid offensive pace early, neither team would score again, as pitching locked in for both sides. OUAZ and Vanguard would combine for just three hits the rest of the way, and there were five half-innings in which the side was set down in order.
As much as the offense played a large role in the victory, OUAZ's most important piece was Zach Hangas. The junior pitched the final 8.1 innings of the contest, allowing just one earned run and striking out 11.
His best work came in the seventh, where Hangas was able to get out of a tough spot to keep the lead for OUAZ. The first two batters reached, and with runners on second and third with no outs, Hangas sat the next three hitters down to keep the score at 10-9.
OUAZ had ten hits in the day's opening contest, and seven different players entered the hit column. Carter, Christian Powell and Logan Meyer each had two hits, and all three of those batters drove in at least one run.
Game 2: OUAZ 5, Vanguard 4
The Spirit would be the first to score in the series finale, as they had two runners come around the bases in the second inning. OUAZ had three hits in the frame, but also took advantage of a pair of Vanguard errors.
The Lions would take the lead with four runs in the third inning, but OUAZ scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth frames to earn a 5-4 advantage.
Powell hit a home run in the fourth inning, and the Spirit would take advantage of errors again to regain a lead. Matthew Carter scored on an error in the fifth, and another Vanguard fielding miscue allowed Owen Prendergast to touch home for the game-winning run.
For the second straight game on Saturday, three OUAZ batters had at multi-hit efforts. Powell matched his game one output with two hits, plus Prendergast and Daniel Durazo added two knocks each as well.
Tyler Bare, Connor Wilson, and Creighton Silvain each had scoreless appearances, and Silvain pitched the final 1.2 innings of the contest to lock down the victory. The three pitchers allowed just two hits in relief, and Silvain recorded three of his five outs via the strikeout.
The Spirit will return home for a big ranked GSAC series next weekend when #19 Hope International comes to Surprise.
