The Golden Eagles men's baseball team opened their 2015 campaign with an 11-10 win over the University of Antelope Valley, on Sunday afternoon. La Sierra finished their opening weekend with a 1-2 record after falling in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader, followed by a 7-0 loss at Vanguard University, on Monday afternoon.
In the opening season win, La Sierra jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and never looked back, scoring a run in each of the first two innings. After Freddy Rivas reached base on a walk, he subsequently stole second base and scored on a Matt Zurita double, giving La Sierra the early 1-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles added to their lead in the second inning when Daanan Hall led the inning off with a walk. Hall stole second and advanced to third base on an infield single by Cody Molla.
The Pioneers cut the lead in half with a run in their half of the third inning. But the difference in the game proved to be the fourth inning when the Golden Eagles erupted for nine runs. La Sierra sent a total of 14 batters to the plate in their half of the fourth inning, totaling nine runs on six hits.
The Pioneers didn't go quietly though; as they fought their way back to within one run, getting three runs back in the bottom half of the fourth, a run in the sixth, and five runs in the seventh. With the tying run on second base, the Golden Eagles secured the win when Nycholas Bongiovanni lined out to third baseman Freddy Rivas for the final out of the game.
In the victory, shortstop John Salinas went 3-for-6, with three runs batted in. Adrian Gardea and Cody Molla each reached base four times, all on walks, and scored a run each. Rivas added two RBI's, while going 2-for-3.
As a team, the Golden Eagles scored their 11 runs on 10 total hits.
Jeremy Guerrero went four innings, giving up four runs on six hits, to earn his first win of the season.
In Game 2 of the doubleheader it was the Pioneers who jumped out to the early lead by scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first inning.
La Sierra answered back with two runs in the second inning, only to see UAV get them right back in their half of the inning, and went on to earn their first win of the season, 6-3.
Josh Tobin got the start for La Sierra, giving up three runs on four hits through two innings of work.
Rivas finished with two of the Golden Eagles five hits in Game 2. Dakota Heredia entered the game as a pinch-hitter, going 1-for-1 with a run batted in. Gardea also added an RBI for the Golden Eagles.
La Sierra had a quick turnaround, as they were back on the road this afternoon to face Vanguard University for a single game.
The Lions pitched staff stifled the Golden Eagles offense, holding them to just two hits on the afternoon, cruising their way to a 7-0 win over La Sierra.
The game was a scoreless tie until the Lions scored three runs on two hits in the fourth inning. Vanguard added three more runs on four hits in the sixth inning.
Michael Gonzalez pitched three scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the fourth inning.
Heredia and Gardea each picked up a hit, accounting for both of La Sierra's hits in today's game.
After a 1-2 opening weekend, the Golden Eagles will prepare for their season home opener this coming Friday, at 11am, versus Bethesda University. Friday's home opener will be a doubleheader with the second game starting at approximately 1:30pm.
