COSTA MESA, Calif. - St. Thomas opened its Spring Break road trip to California with a doubleheader at 17th ranked Vanguard on Sunday.  The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Saturday, but postponed to Sunday due to rain.

STU (0-4) dropped both games of the doubleheader to host Vanguard (20-2), by scores of 5-0 and 4-1.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Bobcats managed just five hits and were unable to get a run across.  Melody Grafals, Nanet Manieri, Alliya Sands, Michelle Murch, and McKenna Delaware all collected singles in the 5-0 defeat.  Manieri also stole a base.

Emily Santos started on the mound for the Bobcats and went a complete six innings, including a stretch of three consecutive shutout innings.

In game two, the Bobcats hung tough with the 17th ranked team in the nation despite falling behind 2-0 in the first two innings.

Starting pitcher Alexis Castroman shut out the Vanguard hitters in the third and the fourth innings leading up to the top of the fifth as the Bobcats cut VU's lead in half.

In the fifth, STU rallied with two outs as Murch singled, then advanced to second as Dayma Pla was hit by pitch. Amanda Hernandez then put the ball in play, scoring Murch on an error by VU's second baseman. 

Vanguard however added two more runs in the fifth inning to stretch the lead to 4-1.

Murch finished game two with a 2-for-3 outing, while Grafals also doubled in the second contest.

Castroman allowed just two earned runs on nine hits over a complete six innings pitched.

The Bobcats continue their California road trip with a doubleheader on Tuesday at Hope International in Fullerton, Calif.  First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.

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