COSTA MESA, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine baseball team is kicking off PacWest play down the road with newly added Vanguard to the conference. Vanguard won both games and held CUI offense to only three runs in the two games played Saturday. 
 
Game 1: Vanguard 7, CUI 2
 
Isaiah Walz put up a run in the first frame with a home run to left center marking his second of the season. Vanguard scored seven in four innings before pinch hitter Niko Santamaria came in to join the home run club with Walz in the top of the eighth inning.
 
Costa Mesa, Calif. native Jake Covey started on the mound for the Golden Eagles going five innings allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out another eight batters. Dominic Nunes and Scott Wood came in as relievers and allowed a combined six hits.
 
Walz went 3-for-4 with two singles and a home run. Designated hitter Wyatt Madison added two hits while four other Golden Eagles tallied a hit.
 
Game 2: Vanguard 5, CUI 1
 
Junior Josh Pugh made his second start of the season going three innings and struck out four. Kaj James, Conor Meehan, and Richie Kingsborough came into the game and the Lions had two hits and one run off the relievers.
 
Third baseman Landry Spitler led CUI this game with two hits. Haku Dudoit and Tank Espalin were the only other batters to earn a hit as the Lions held the Green and Gold to only four hits.
 
Sawyer Voortman hit a sacrifice bunt to move Spitler and Nicholas Erickson up the bases. Santamaria helps CUI again with a sac fly to bring home Erickson in the second inning and being the lone run for them in this game.
 
CUI will close out the series against Vanguard at Golden Eagles Field on Monday Feb. 17 with start times 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
 
Click here to see the full CUI baseball schedule.