[Live stats] [Live video]

THIS WEEK:
It's been a long time since the Point Loma baseball team opened Pacific West Conference play at home against Holy Names back on Mar. 3-4, but the Sea Lions will finally return to Carroll B. Land Stadium as it hosts longtime rival Azusa Pacific in a four-game series starting on Friday, Mar. 28. The teams will play a doubleheader each day starting at Noon.
 
FOLLOW ALONG:
The games will be available for fans to follow through live video and live stats. Live video at the home games are available through America One on a pay-per-view basis. Live stats will be free. Both the live stats and the live video may be accessed through Point Loma's website at www.plnusealions.com or by clicking the following links: [Live stats] [Live video]
 
PLNU MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TO BE HONORED SATURDAY:
Prior to the game on Saturday, Point Loma will be honoring its 2013-14 men's basketball team which won the NCCAA Championship last week in Winona Lake, Ind. The Sea Lions entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed and won all three games, including defeating No. 1 seed Southern Nazarene and tournament host Grace College, to capture their fourth NCCAA title in program history, and the Sea Lions' second of 2013-14 (volleyball also won).
 
A LOOK AT THE SEA LIONS:
Point Loma is 14-13 on the season and tied for fourth place in the PacWest standings at 6-6 with Fresno Pacific. The Sea Lions won their last contest over non-conference opponent, Cal State San Bernardino, 2-1, as they rallied for three hits in the ninth, including the game-winning RBI from Anthony Torres. The victory also snapped a four-game skid for PLNU.
 
Clinton Harwick paces Point Loma and is tied for sixth in the PacWest with a .375 batting average. He is second in the league with 39 hits, 11th with 19 runs and 12th with 47 total bases. Tyler Nordgren is 11th in the PacWest with a .360 batting average and third with 25 runs batted in. Nordgren also ranks third in the league with nine doubles, ninth with a .510 slugging percentage and sixth with 36 hits. Freshman Matt Jervis give PLNU its third hitter in the league's top 20. He is hitting .333 with eight runs scored, and has 12 walks compared to just three strikeouts.
 
On the pitching mound, Kellen Sheppard is sixth in the PacWest with a 1.94 earned run average. He has allowed just 11 runs in 51 innings pitched. Four different Sea Lions have saved games this season and the team's ERA sits at 4.10.  
 
A LOOK AT THE COUGARS:
Azusa Pacific is 17-7 on the season and in second place in the PacWest standings, two games back of Dixie State, with a 10-2 record. APU was also playing out of conference last week and split a two-game series with UC San Diego. That loss did snap a five-game winning streak for the Cougars. They have won 15 of their last 18 games. Third baseman Matt Kimmel leads the PacWest with a .433 batting average. Jordan Brower is also pacing the league with six home runs. APU leads the PacWest by nearly a run with an ERA of 2.25. The Cougars have registered two shutouts this season and held their opponent to one run in 10 other contests.

A LOOK AT THE PLNU-APU RIVALRY:
This will be the 181st all-time meeting between the two schools with APU holding a 118-62 advantage. Last season, PLNU took three of four games from APU while playing at Carroll B. Land Stadium in the only series of the year between the two teams. 
 
NEXT WEEK:
Point Loma will be at home next Tuesday, Apr. 1 to host San Diego Christian. The two teams will complete their contest from Feb. 11 that was postponed due to fog and then play a single nine-inning game. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.