College Roundup: Vanguard falls to Faulkner

BASEBALL

Faulkner 10, Vanguard 0

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Trai Patrick and Jose Rojas had two hits apiece for the No. 13-ranked Lions, who fell to the No. 3-ranked hosts in the second round of the NAIA Opening Round Tournament on Wednesday.

The loss places Vanguard (38-16-1) on loss away from elimination in the five-team, double-elimination tournament from which the winner will advance to the NAIA World Series.

Two Vanguard errors led to six unearned runs for Faulkner (48-12), which used three pitchers to complete the eight-hit shutout.

Vanguard will need two victories on Thursday to earn a berth in the championship game. The Lions will face either Central Methodist of Missouri or Texas A&M Texarkana in the first game Thursday at 1 p.m. PT.

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MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Big West Conference Championships

LONG BEACH — UC Irvine junior Lloyd Sicard successfully defended his title in the 110-meter high hurdles on Saturday at Long Beach State.

Sicard won the final in a season-best time of 13.64 seconds, the second-fastest in the history of the conference meet that began in 1970.

Brandon Howard was second in the 400 hurdles in 52.22, while UCI teammate Cameron Vaca was fifth in 52.82.

The 4x400 relay of Antwon Parker, Paul Resong, Isaiah Jewett and Sicard was second in the final race of the meet with a time of 3 minutes, 12.37 seconds.

Isaiah Thompson had a third-place finish of 1:51.32 in the 800 and Matt Seawright was third in the discus throw with a mark of 173 feet, 2 inches.

UCI’s 4x100 relay also finished third as Sicard, Duane Solomon, Howard and Parker recorded a season-best time of 40.97.

Jewett was sixth in the 400 in 48.14.

The Anteaters finished seventh in the team race with 61 points.

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WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Big West Conference Championships

LONG BEACH — UC Irvine junior Megan George defended her conference title in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.33 seconds on Saturday at Long Beach State.

UCI’s 4x100 relay of Taisyn Crutchfield, George, Michelle Norman and Estancia High product Persis William-Mensah blazed to victory in a school-record 44.51 seconds, the second-fastest time in conference championship history. It was UCI’s first victory in the event since 1992.

UCI’s Paige Bushnell finished third in the 100 hurdles (13.70) and teammate Tyra Jones was fifth (13.90).

Bushnell was second in the 400 hurdles (59.66), while Kaulyn Lee-McNeill was fifth (59.90) and Crystal Lizaola was eighth (1 minute, 2.37 seconds).

William-Mensah was runner-up in the 100 in 11.55 seconds and Norman was fourth in 11.72.

Norman was fifth in the 200 in 24.03 while Simone Buchanan was fifth in the 400 in 55.40.

Bridget Devaney broke her own school record in the hammer throw with a seventh-place mark of 182 feet, 5 inches.

UCI was fifth in the team standings.