Ross Ropes Eagles Past Lions, 8-4

Box Score 

(2/27/08 - Baseball) IRVINE - All-American Matt Ross went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI to lead host Concordia to a 8-4 win over Vanguard, Wednesday afternoon in Golden State Athletic Conference play.

Ross gave the Eagles the ideal start for snapping a four-game losing streak, blasting a double over shortstop with the bases loaded and none out in the 1st inning for a quick 2-0 lead. He added a second double in the 3rd inning with one out and came around to score on a RBI-single by Nathan Dean to stake the Eagles to a 4-0 lead.

After entering the game on a 3-for-19 slump over the past five games, Ross completed his day that raised his average over 50 points by singling home Nick Fuentes with a bouncer through the left side. He nearly added a home run to his tally in the 6th inning, but his towering fly ball backed Daniel Black up to the deepest part of center field.

The Eagles made sure defending GSAC Pitcher of the Year Enrique Lechuga (3-1) would earn the victory after he completed five innings of work and left with a 4-3 lead. After Jeff Allen pitched a scoreless 6th inning, the Eagles added three more runs to pull away.

Dean doubled into the gap in right to lead off the frame, then Beau Poteet ripped the first pitch he saw up the middle for a RBI-single. Following a bunt single by Cody Kissell and a walk to Mike Gonzalez, Gregg Davidson delivered a sacrifice fly to right field. With Kissell taking third on the play, a wild pitch allowed him to score with Nick Fuentes at the plate.

Lechuga yielded three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out three. Allen gave up a run on three hits while fanning four in three solid innings of relief before Gonzalez came on to nail down the win with a scoreless 9th inning.

The Eagles took advantage of nine walks allowed by the Vanguard pitchers to earn the win. Fuentes drew a third of those and scored twice while the Eagles walked just one batter.

Richard Jessup (2-2) took the loss for Vanguard (6-9, 2-7 GSAC), allowing seven runs on nine hits while walking five in 5.1 innings. Derek Craddock and Daniel Black each had two hits in four trips for the Lions while Andrew Ramirez scored once and drove in a run.

Concordia (4-5, 3-4 GSAC) hits the road for the next six games, starting with a pair of games this Saturday, March 1 at Biola starting at 1:00 p.m.