Costa Mesa, CA- With the help of an extra inning win in Friday's first game, Arizona Christian swept the season series with Vanguard thanks to 11-10 and 3-1 wins.  Junior Meaghen Nelson was 4-8 with a double, home run, and 5 RBI.

Game one opened with a walk to Junior Sianna Gomez.  One out later, Senior Abby Beasley, Junior Kylie Christman, and Nelson connected for three straight singles that scored two runs and gave ACU a 2-0 lead.  That opened the flood gates for the offensive shootout.

The Lions (25-18, 7-9 GSAC) answered with two runs in the bottom of the first.

After a scoreless second inning, the Firestorm (28-10-1, 12-4 GSAC) used a three run homer to left field by Nelson to build a 5-2 edge.  But VUSC put up a four spot capped by a two run home run for a 6-5 score.

In the top of the fourth, pinch hitter Junior Taylor Fabing tripled to right leading off.  Gomez drove home Fabing with a sacrifice fly to create a 6-6 tie.  An 8-6 deficit became an 8-8 tie highlighted by a double from Sophomore Ashlynn Preciado.

Both teams added one more run to end regulation at 9-9 before heading off to extra innings.  Nelson doubled home international tie break runner Senior Ilene Ruiz.  Nelson scored the game winning run on an RBI single from Junior Destinee Spencer.

Vanguard scored one run in the bottom of the eighth but Senior Jackie Aguilar secured the win by inducing a foul out to end the game.  Aguilar (13-4) earned the complete game win despite surrendering 10 runs (though only four were earned).

In the second game with rain clouds threatening the Firestorm wasted little time scoring as their first four batters successfully reached.  Gomez and Vanderdrink both singled before Beasley was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Fabing unloaded the bases with a double down the right field line for a quick 3-0 lead.

ACU only had single or no base runners the rest of the game except for leaving two on in the fourth.

Working around eight hits and three walks with base runners on in every inning except the seventh, Spencer allowed just one run and made the three ACU runs in the first standup.  Spencer improved to 10-2 on the year with the complete game win.

Head Coach Trisha Thurston stated, "Today's games were definitely entertaining.   First game was a battle all the way through with all of the lead changes, ties, and extra inning excitement. We didn't play our best ball but the girls battled every single inning.  Meaghen crushed the ball in the first game and we got some key RBI's from Sianna and Destinee.  The second game had more solid defense with Alyssa and Presley leading the way with huge diving plays in the field to take away hits and save runs.  We came away with two big wins today, and I'm very proud of this team and their resiliency."

The Firestorm and the Lions will both try and fend off the rain again as ACU will head to Biola and VUSC will host Saint Katherine.  Arizona Christian and Biola moved their twin bill up to an 8:00 am start.  Vanguard still lists game time as 12:00 pm.