Slideshow, courtesy of Jeanne Royce

COSTA MESA, Calif.  – The snake-bitten Beacons had another difficult finish on Monday, falling to Vanguard University 8-6 in the final game of a Southern California Road Trip. Game two of the scheduled double-header was cancelled due to weather.

After trailing 3-0 early on and sitting through a pair of rain delays, the Beacons rallied with a five-run fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead. The Lions, however, roared back with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out the win, sending NCU to their ninth straight loss.

Vanguard jumped ahead in the first inning, with a leadoff walk followed by back-to-back singles to make it a 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Jenna Royce settled down, getting out of a bases-loaded jam without any more damage.

The Lions then added two more in the third inning, scoring on an RBI single and later getting the second run on an illegal pitch.

NCU got on the board in the fourth inning, making it 3-1 when Chelsea Hannon scored on an error by the Vanguard third baseman.  After an extended rain delay during the bottom of the fourth, NCU went to work in the fifth.

Megan Mazanec reached base on another error at third to open the inning. Amanda Reiss was hit by pitch and Hannon reached on a fielder's choice and NCU had quickly loaded the bases. Torie O'Keeffe and Ally Mittleider followed with back-to-back RBI groundouts as Mazanec and Reiss came home to tie the game at 3-3.

With two outs, the Beacons were not finished. Melissa Webster got on back after yet another error, which scored Hannon. Laynee Bevans followed with a triple to right field to score Webster. Bevans then came home on an RBI single by Addy Hoskins to give NCU the 6-3 advantage.

The Beacons then got to the bottom of the sixth inning where they were once again hit with a series of errors and strange plays. Vanguard would end up scoring five runs in the inning including two on dropped balls at the plate and the game was called due to the weather at that point.

Kalyssa Koontz (0-8) pitched the final 2.2 innings for the Beacons and took the loss, allowing two earned runs and striking out three batters. In all, the teams combined for nine errors and nine unearned runs as a result. The Beacons had eight hits in the game with Gabby Stover (pictured) the only player to pick up two hits. She also stole her sixth base of the season.

Vanguard collected 15 hits in the contest with Breanne Gomez and Haley Croce picking up three hits apiece. Shelby Ross (3-2) got the victory, giving up five unearned runs on three hits in two innings of relief work.

Northwest Christian University will be back in action on Saturday, March 3rd, when they travel to Clackamas Community College for a 2:00 pm scrimmage. After a home scrimmage with Southwestern Oregon Community College on the sixth, NCU will play their first home counter on the 8th, playing host to Simpson University at 1:00 pm.