"We showed a lot of heart and we keep grinding and keep trying to get it done, so you have to applaud [the players] for that," Vanguard Coach Rob Pegg said. "But it was an extremely disappointing day."
Things started promisingly enough for the Lions as Thomas Mobley led off Game 1 with a triple down the right-field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Ochart.
Vanguard starter Scott Simmons made that lead stand up through four innings. But the Firestorm (18-13, 11-13) scored four in the fifth on five hits, one of which was a line drive off second baseman Greg Younger's glove that could just as easily have been a double play.
Instead, Seth Neely's liner ricocheted into right-center field for a double that plated two runs. Trevor Santor followed with a two-run single and the Firestorm was on its way.
A three-run home run by Orrin Sears put the visitors up, 8-1, in the ninth inning.
But pinch-hitter Ian Sakry started a one-out Vanguard rally with a double.
Bryce Arroyo, who was three for four in the opener, singled, before Jack Daru drove in a run with a pinch-double and Francisco Torres followed with a two-run double to chase starter Mike Lachappelle.
Reliever Tanner Tripp hit the first batter he faced and, after a fielder's choice for the second out, Ochart singled in the final run, before Nikko Tountas struck out looking with two runners aboard.
