Vanguard falls back

COSTA MESA — Unable to knock off the No. 2 team in the NAIA, the Vanguard University Lions must recharge from losing a Saturday softball doubleheader to Cal Baptist to gear up for another test.

The No. 8-ranked Lions must travel to San Diego to face No. 3-ranked Point Loma Nazarene Tuesday in another big Golden State Athletic Conference match-up after falling 5-0, 5-1 to the Lancers.

Senior NAIA All-American pitcher Jennifer Olvera (14-1) recorded her first loss of the season in Game 1, when the Lancers (37-3, 10-0 in conference) took a five run lead in the first two innings off five hits, including a two-run home run.

Freshman Bethany Dempster took over at the top of the third and held the Lancers scoreless through the next five, but Vanguard struggled to create any offense to catch up.

The Lions scored their first run of the day in Game 2, when freshman Kaysie Flasck hit two-out, second-inning RBI triple to drive in freshman Stephanie Leisenring.

“Those were good, back-to-back clutch [hits],” Vanguard softball coach Beth Renkoski said. “But Cal Baptist finally got theirs through in the sixth and we couldn’t answer in the sixth and seventh.”

With a 1-0 lead through a tough fifth inning, the Lions (29-11, 4-6) were starting to look like they could be the team to hand Cal Baptist its first GSAC loss of the season. They threw Kelly Maconachy out at home when Chantal Millard grounded to third. Nikki Lowe popped up to third, and Erin Moore grounded out to first to end the inning.

But Cal Baptist surged in the sixth and went on a five-run scoring tear.

Nicole Shoemaker hit a leadoff single to left. Jessica Foerster, pinch running for Shoemaker, stole second, and took third on Karina Slauenwhite’s sacrifice bunt. Sarah Hurlbut tied the game at 1-1 with her RBI line drive single to left as the game began to unravel for the Lions. Courtney Weber, pinch running for Hurlbut, ran home on Jennifer Bergh’s grounding error.

Bergh missed Sarah Goforth’s ball, and Goforth reached second. Goforth and Maconachy scored on Millard’s double to right, and the Lions saw more than their first lead of the day slip away.

Center fielder Noelle Navarette, one of two seniors on this year’s team, hurt her right knee as she tried to make the catch, appearing to twist awkwardly before she fell.

Navarette was carried off the field and taken to the hospital. Renkoski was not sure what Navarette’s specific injury was.

“There was no collision,” Renkoski said. “We think maybe she locked it and fell or turned. The trainer couldn’t really get a good grasp on what was wrong because she was in so much pain.”

The defending GSAC champions’ speed was too much for the Lions, who missed several crucial throw-outs when the Lancers beat the ball to the bag.

“Cal Baptist has a lot of tools and speed is one of those tools,” Renkoski said. “They got a lot of breaks. They stole a base and they got a hit through and it’s tough to hold them off for that long.”

The Lancers’ high-flying offense has put up double-digit runs against opponents eight times this season, most recently at Hastings Mar. 19, where they won, 11-0.

“They’re a team that thrives on rallies,” Renkoski said. “They really take fire from that and they did. They got a couple hits in a row and we couldn’t stop them. Hopefully we can bounce back and play better on Tuesday.”

Golden State Athletic Conference

Game 1

Cal Baptist 5, Vanguard 0

SCORE BY INNINGS

Thomas and Shoemaker; Olvera, Dempster (3) and St. Croix. W – Thomas, 20-2. L – J. Olvera 14-1. 3B – Goforth (CBU). HR – Moore (CBU).

Game 2

Cal Baptist 5, Vanguard 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

Ahumada and Shoemaker; Boyer, P. Olvera (6), Dempster (6) and St. Croix. W – Ahumada (17-1). L – Boyer 5-6. 2B – Millard (CBU), Leisenring (VU). 3B – Flasck (VU).

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at soraya.mcdonald@latimes.com.