PLNU pitching was roughed up for 25 runs as the NAIA No. 2-ranked Sea Lions were dealt two losses by No. 17 Azusa Pacific on Saturday, 17-5, and 8-4. The Green and Gold fell to 18-7-1 overall and at 10-5 in the Golden State Athletic Conference. PLNU, the defending conference champions are tied for fourth with Biola, behind Vanguard, California Baptist and Fresno Pacific.

APU batters hammered out 22 hits in the opener and then 11 more hits in the nightcap. Four Cougars put together four hits in game one: Ryan Henley, Ryan Delgado and Chris Feight. Delgado drove in five runs, Henley had four RBI.

Usually reliable starter Chad Blauer (5-1) was hit up for six runs, four earned in five innings in game one. Blauer and the Sea Lions were down 6-0 before plating five runs over the sixth and seventh. The Cougars piled on with two in the sixth and seven in the seventh off of three relievers, however, to put the game out of range.

Peter Gehle improved to 4-2 though he surrendered five runs on nine hits. Shortstop Tyler Kuehl went 3-for-5 in the loss for Point Loma.

The Sea Lions fell behind 2-0 after three frames of game two but tied the contest in the fourth,  Alec Martinez driving in a run with a single and another run scoring on an APU error. Azusa pushed across a run in the home half of the frame though, Henley hitting a sac fly that scored Virgil Chavira.

PLNU went ahead for the first time all day in the top of the sixth. Jeff Fox tied the score with a homerun to right and pinch runner Evan Lippow later scored on another Cougar miscue.

The usually reliable Sea Lion pitching staff wasn't sharp on Saturday, though. APU put the game away and sealed PLNU's fate with five runs in the bottom of the sixth, capped off by a three-run shot by Josh Leite.

Starter Robby Ross fell to 1-2 overall. He allowed six earned ruins on nine hits in 5.1 innings. KC Kartch took the ball in the sixth and gave up the final two Cougar runs.

Garrett Hodges (1-1) won with Ryan Rosenhann earning the save.

Fox and Martinez each had three hits in the loss.

APU improved to 10-14 overall, 3-13 in conference with the sweep.

The Sea Lions welcome Fresno Pacific for a doubleheader on Wednesday, starting at 11:00 am.