RIVERSIDE — The Vanguard University baseball team kept its season alive by winning, 13-12, in 11 innings against College of Idaho Wednesday in an elimination game of the NAIA Baseball National Championship opening round at Cal Baptist.
Tyson Leighton's RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning scored Bryce Arroyo to win the game for Vanguard (33-20).
Leighton finished four for six with three RBIs, and left fielder Jacob Domingos was also four for six and scored twice.
Eric Krzysiak and Brandon Young each had three hits and scored three times.
The Lions battled back from a 12-9 deficit in the eighth to eliminate College of Idaho (38-16). Adrian Mendoza got the win, pitching four innings in relief.
No. 4-seeded Vanguard plays No. 2 Madonna at 10 a.m. today at Cal Baptist in another elimination game. Should the Lions win, they will face top-seeded Cal Baptist at 2 p.m.
Cal Baptist is currently undefeated in the double-elimination tournament, so Vanguard would need to beat the Lancers twice to win the tournament.
An "if necessary" game would be played at 2 p.m. Friday
Vanguard clinched the match by taking the first five sets, including a sweep in doubles by the teams of Lucas Pereira and Tino Brodar, Alessandro Ventre and Sandro Bucher, as well as Mark Tarjan and Nils Iwdal.
Alessandro Ventre won at No. 1 singles, topping Lindsey Wilson's Freddy Luciani, 6-4, 6-0.
Vanguard's Yagor Kryvaruchka was victorious at No. 6 singles, 6-1, 6-1, over Justin Mi.
Vanguard plays No. 3-seeded Azusa Pacific today in the quarterfinals.
Winners for the Lions included Anna Valingsten at No. 4 singles and Ekaterina Gabashvili at No. 6 singles.
The three doubles teams, including Gabriela Bergmanova and Kateryna Malakhova, Betty Tesfa and Valingsten, as well as Brittnie Furuvald and Gabashvili, also swept.
The Lions will now face No. 4-seeded Concordia in today's quarterfinals.
