College Baseball: Johnson shines for Lions
Vanguard University senior pitcher Roberto Johnson has spent the majority of his four-year career in short relief. But he still has a long memory.
“I’m pretty sure it was my freshman year,” Johnson said Tuesday, referring to his only previous collegiate win in a largely unheralded career that until Tuesday had produced 66 1/3 innings over 40 appearances, including three starts.
But in his 2017 debut, Johnson limited visiting Saint Katherine College to four hits and two runs in six innings to earn the victory in a 14-3 nonconference triumph for the No. 20-ranked Lions.
“It has been a while,” Johnson said of the 1,004-day span between victories, dating back to a two-inning relief stint that helped the Lions post a 1-0 Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament win over The Master’s in 11 innings on May 1, 2014.
Johnson struck out three and walked none to help the Lions improve to 4-1. His performance, which lowered his career earned-run average to 3.73, also figures to help him toward his goal of playing a bigger role on this year’s pitching staff.
“My adrenaline was going,” said Johnson, who threw 72 pitches, 43 for strikes. “It was my first outing of the season and I was pretty excited. I definitely came into this season, it being my senior year, with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. I just want to be a big part of the team’s success this year.”
Several players played a big part in Tuesday’s victory, in which five Lions drove in two runs apiece, four had a pair of hits, nine scored and seven had at least one hit.
Senior designated hitter Trai Patrick was two for three with two walks and two RBIs, while freshman second baseman Josh Weeks, making his first start, was two for three with a double and two RBIs. Weeks also scored two runs.
Junior third baseman Michael Fuchs, who sparkled defensively, was two for four with two RBIs and one run, while junior shortstop Tanner Perry was two for four with one RBI and two runs.
Sophomore Sam Neufeld, who made his first start of the season in left field, was one for four with a two-run double to help the Lions produce 11 hits. The Lions, who played in the NAIA World Series in 2015 and were one win shy of a trip to the World Series last season, have scored 45 runs and are hitting .314 in five games.
Senior center fielder Brandon Sandoval, a two-time All-GSAC performer who was zero for three, but was twice hit by a pitch and scored a run, leads the team with a .500 batting average this season (eight for 16), while Fuchs is right behind at .474 (nine for 19).
Tuesday, however, was Johnson’s day to find the spotlight, a development that pleased Lions Coach Rob Pegg immensely.
“I love that kid,” Pegg said of Johnson. “He threw some big innings for us as a freshman and has produced in different spots throughout his career. He’s a dream to coach, he gets the most out of his ability, and he has just been a grinder for four years. He’s a command guy, who is not going to overpower anybody, but he’s a pitcher and that’s what he did today. I think he had all four pitches working and he was spotting up his fastball, which he needs to do. He was working ahead in the count and as long as he does that, he’s going to be fine.”
And, perhaps, a more consistent winner.
“This one feels great,” Johnson said of his win. “Hopefully, it’s the first of many.”
Saint Katherine, for which former major leaguer Tom Brunansky is an assistant coach, fell to 2-2.
Nonconference
Vanguard 14, Saint Katherine 3
SCORE BY INNINGS
SK 000 011 010 – 3 6 2
VU 017 020 04x – 14 11 0
J. Gonzalez, Dick (3), Brunansky (4), Dauenhauer (6), Canyon (8), Beck (9) and Koch; Johnson, Sheehan (7), Kashou (8), Mellenthin (9). W – Johnson, 1-0. L – J. Gonzalez. 2B – Neufeld (VU), Weeks (VU), Morrison (SK) 2, Hendrix (SK). HR – Chandler (SK).
Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
