Glendale, Ariz. - Yesterday's double header acted as quite the proving ground for the Firestorm, who won two thrillers to clean sweep #17 Vanguard at Greenway High School. A full-count walk with two outs put a stamp on a back-and-forth game one, Arizona Christian's Ryan Eastham sending Jaylen Edmonds home to outlast the Lions 9-8. Jackson Hohensee spearheaded the 4-1 game two victory with a career-high 11 strikeouts (tied fourth in program history) on the mound, and four different Firestorm batted in a run.

Edmonds led the team in hits (five) on Saturday, featuring a lead-off solo home run in game one. Marques Titialii, ACU's new RBI king, played that role to perfection with a team-high five RBIs and a three-run home run in the double header against VU.

Jared Anderson, Sean Garcia and Kane Kiaunis all had multiple hits in the outing, Anderson and Garcia each doubling once and Kiaunis uncorking a solo bomb in game two.

It was a bullpen effort from Payton Robertson and Christian Lucero (game one winner) that gave the Firestorm a chance to win it in regulation, each punching out three Lions' batters.

Hohensee's career day in his fourth start was much needed in a rather dull offensive game, number 34 ringing up half of the batters he faced (11 of 22).

ACU's 3-0 sweep of #17 Vanguard shoots them into a tie for first in the latest GSAC standings with a conference-high six wins in their first nine games.

GAME INFO

Score 1: RV Arizona Christian 9 | #17 Vanguard 8
Score 2: RV Arizona Christian 4 | #17 Vanguard 1
Records: RV ACU 12-8 (6-3 GSAC) | #17 VU 13-8 (3-5 GSAC)
Location: Greenway High School - Glendale, AZ

STAT TRACKER (GAMES 1 & 2)

Jaylen Edmonds - 5 hits, 1 RBI, 1 home run, 1 double
Marques Titialii - 3 hits, 5 RBIs, 1 home run, 1 double
Jared Anderson - 3 hits, 2 RBIs, 1 double
Sean Garcia - 3 hits, 1 RBI, 1 double
Kane Kiaunis - 2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 home run
Ryan Eastham - 1 hit, 2 RBIs, 1 double
Eastyn Culp - 5.0 IP, 6 RA, 2 SOs
Jackson Hohensee- 6.0 IP, 1 RA, 11 SOs

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE (GAME 1)

It was an inauspicious beginning to game one for Arizona Christian, as Eastyn Culp was pounced upon with three hits and three runs. VU's Tevis Payne led the way with a two-RBI double with two outs on the scoreboard. Edmonds had quite the reply, however, by leading off the first with a solo home run. Left fielder Anderson followed that up with a double but a Trey Tarver strikeout and Kiaunis double-play groundout shut the door on more damage.

Culp settled down and pitched two consecutive scoreless innings and Titialii paid off an Edmond's single with a hard-hit double to left center to pull ACU within one (3-2) after three complete frames.

The Lions went down in order in the fourth but the Firestorm could not move Kiaunis any further than first base in the next at-bat. It seemed that Culp was going to cruise through another inning, forcing two outs after a lead-off single by Nino Vultaggio. However, he hit Oscar Diaz with a pitch and Payne made him pay with a three-run home run to give him five RBIs in the ball game. 

Like the first inning, ACU was not frazzled and worked their way to back-to-back singles (Justin Colon, Edmonds) to kick off the fifth. VU made their first pitching change, from Quincy Vassar to Jacob Dahlstrom, but the Firestorm's Anderson kept it rolling with a third straight single and scored Edmonds thanks to a throwing error. Titialii then connected with one and homered to left field for three more runs. Dahlstrom struck out the next three batters, but the game was reborn at 6-6 through five complete.

As quickly as ACU tied the game, the Lions retook the lead with a Corey Jarrell two-run home run in the sixth. Reliever Robertson limited it to an 8-6 deficit by recording outs on the next two batters he faced. The Firestorm could not respond as soon as previously, going hitless in the sixth and seventh to remain in a two-run hole.

Lucero stranded two VU runners in the eighth and the first two ACU batters were walked to lead off their eighth at-bat. Garcia singled to convert one run before Noah DeLuca, in his second game since elevated to varsity, hit a sacrifice fly to score the tying run heading into the ninth inning.

Lucero stood firm once again when it mattered most, ringing up two straight batters with two aboard to give ACU an opportunity to win it. Edmonds reached base for the fourth time in the lead-off spot and was accompanied on base by Titialii and Tarver after a walk and hit by pitch. Following a Kiaunis strikeout, Eastham came up to the plate with two outs. He received a fourth ball on a full count and walked to first base in jubilation as the game was the Firestorm's.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE (GAME 2)

Hohensee made certain VU would not get off to another hot start, forcing a flyout, striking out a batter and stranding one on first. Arizona Christian did not jump on the early opportunity to grab a lead, going "three up, three down" in the first. 

The Lions were retired in order in the second. Kiaunis appeared to be inspired by his teammate Edmonds, as he led off the second with a no-doubter over the right center fence to put the first run on the board. Garcia did his best to set up another run opportunity with a single, but the final two outs put that to bed.

Hohensee surrendered his second hit in the third but left VU begging yet again by catching Evan Avitia trying to steal second base and striking out his third victim. The Firestorm went down in order, but Hohensee was just getting warmed up as he punched out three consecutive Lions in the fourth to maintain a 1-0 advantage.

ACU's fourth frame got off to a rocky start, Kiaunis and Anderson both struck out swinging. Second baseman Garcia smacked his seventh double of 2024 and a piggyback double by Eastham added a second run to ACU's tally.

Hohensee's lone blemish came in the fifth, Oscar Diaz launching a solo home run just over the left field fence to lead off the latest VU effort. The reliable right-hander motored along, however, and struck out three of the next four batters to keep the Lions at bay. Anderson paid off the Firestorm's final run of game two with an RBI single to right field that scored Titialii.

Jarrell was stranded after a lead-off double for the VU as Hohensee put the finishing touches on six innings and 11 strikeouts. 

Tarver, yet again, was given the ball in the closer's position. A throwing error to first by Eastham and single by pinch-hitter Noah Madole put number 10 in a precarious spot. Tarver struck out the next two Lions but a walk juiced the base pads. A Jarrell foul out to Kiaunis at third base sent the whole Firestorm dugout into a frenzy as they successfully completed a sweep of #17 Vanguard.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH JOE MCDONALD

"I'm really proud of how we played this weekend," Coach McDonald said. "All of the hard work and the focus to clean up the little things was executed and we did it together and got three team victories."

NEXT FOR THE FIRESTORM

The Arizona Christian Firestorm carry a four-game win streak into spring break and a Monday night game against Dickinson State (ND) (2-13, 0-0 NSAA). Non-conference action begins at 7:30 PM from Greenway High School. Don't miss a single play with live stats at https://acufirestorm.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary and watch the broadcast at https://www.gsacsportsnetwork.com/azchristian/.  
    
                          
Roll Storm!