Miscues costly to Lions

COSTA MESA — Since Ralph Grajeda took over as Vanguard University baseball coach before last season, the Lions have steadily and noticeably gained ground.

But after dropping three spots in the NAIA poll on Tuesday following a week in which they did not play a game, the Lions experienced some minor slippage on the diamond Wednesday in a 5-2 loss to Golden State Athletic Conference visitor Point Loma Nazarene.

The No. 9-ranked Lions (25-7, 16-5 in conference), who were ranked No. 6 in the previous poll, believed to be the highest ranking the program had ever achieved, frustrated Grajeda and his staff against the No. 12-ranked Sea Lions.

Vanguard committed three errors, had two runners picked off, ran into another out on a baserunning blunder, had a runner doubled off on a line drive, and stranded 11 runners, while matching its season-low single-game scoring output.

“We gave away a lot of free bases today,” Grajeda said. “Poor baserunning and little things become big things in big games. That’s pretty much the short of it. That was atypical for us. This is one game out of 50.”

A two-out error by third baseman Keegan Freeman led to three unearned runs for the visitors in the fifth inning, helping Vanguard starting pitcher Brandon Godfrey come up short of improving to 7-0.

Instead, Godfrey, who walked the bases loaded in the first but worked out of it, then battled out of trouble in the next three innings, absorbed the tough-luck loss. He allowed no earned runs on nine hits, walked three and struck out four in six innings.

“Brandon did great,” Grajeda said of Godfrey, who lowered his earned-run average to 1.20. “The error in the fifth opened the door for those runs.”

The Sea Lions (26-8-1, 15-6) took advantage of Freeman’s 18th miscue of the season.

After a single and a hit batsman loaded the bases, Kevin Newburg produced a two-run single and Jeff Fox followed with an RBI single to take a 3-1 lead.

Vanguard opened the scoring in the second when Brandon Pesante plated Freeman with a two-out single.

Pesante doubled in a run in the sixth to pull the Lions within 3-2, but the drive into the left-field corner might have knotted things, had Jason Dovel not run into an out one hitter before.

Dovel doubled to open the inning and was on second with one out when Jacob Wood hit a slow chopper to the shortstop hole. Point Loma shortstop Tyler Kuehl ranged to his right to collect the ball, but clearly had no play at first. Instead, Kuehl threw to third, in plenty of time to nail Dovel trying to advance.

Pesante finished two for three to pace the Lions’ 10-hit attack, which was muted by Point Loma starter Steven Winnick and reliever Josh Dexheimer.

Winnick improved to 7-1 and shaved his ERA from 1.82 to 1.80, though he allowed eight hits, walked three and struck out two in 5 2/3 innings.

Dexheimer allowed two hits in 3 1/2 scoreless relief innings to collect his third save.

Vanguard cleanup hitter Tyson Leighton, one of four Lions who entered the game hitting better than .350, was two for five. The junior center fielder, who made a sparkling running catch and threw out a runner trying to stretch a single, raised his average 16 points to .370. He also has a team-leading 38 RBIs and shares the team lead in home runs with eight.

Senior designated hitter Eric Krzysiak went one for four and is now hitting a team-best .455.

Junior left fielder Brandon Young, who earned NAIA and GSAC Player of the Week laurels after going 10 for 13 with three homers, a triple and 11 RBIs in four games against Biola (March 24 through 27), went one for four Wednesday. He is now hitting .370 with five homers and 31 RBIs.

Senior shortstop Zach Leighton, one for five Wednesday, is now hitting .361 and leads the team with nine stolen bases in 10 attempts.

Another notable offensive catalyst is senior catcher Kip Masuda, who is hitting .327 with eight homers and 29 RBIs.

On the mound, Godfrey has been supported most by Dovel (4-0 with a 2.93 ERA) and junior Robert Purpura (1-0 with seven saves and a 2.13 ERA).

“It’s a whole different team [from the one that was 19-28 in 2009],” Grajeda said. “There’s a different attitude and ability. It’s more important to these guys.”

Grajeda said the most important thing about the first of a four-game series against the Sea Lions (that continues today at 3 p.m. at Vanguard and includes a doubleheader Saturday at Point Loma), is for his players to put it behind them.

“We still get to play three more [against the Sea Lions, who are a game behind the second-place Lions in the GSAC standings, as both are chasing conference-leading Cal Baptist].”

Orange Coast College product Wes Kartch had a hit and scored a run for Point Loma, for which former Pirate Brandon Dixon is 7-0 with a 2.79 ERA in nine starts.

Golden State Athletic Conference

Point Loma Nazarene 5, Vanguard 2

SCORE BY INNINGS

Winnick, Dexheimer (6) and Bernhard; Godfrey, Mendoza (7) and Masuda. W – Winnick, 7-1. L – Godfrey, 6-1. Sv – Dexheimer (3). 2B – Dovel (VU), Pesante (VU), Krzysiak (VU). HR – Kuehl (PLN).