AZUSA, Calif. - Point Loma and Azusa Pacific split a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 7. The Sea Lions won the first game 14-10 after coming back with six runs in the ninth. In game two, APU got a strong start from Mike Fairchild and benefited from some mistimed PLNU errors to win 5-2.
Point Loma is now 13-6 (1-3 PacWest) on the season and Azusa Pacific (6-2 PacWest) is 15-4.
Game 1PLNU came back twice with big innings, including a six-run ninth inning to defeat Azusa Pacific 14-10 in the opener.
Anthony Torres went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and two stolen bases.
AJ Derr was 3-for-6 with two runs scored, three RBI and a stolen base.
Alex Campos came in as a pinch hitter and collected a pair of hits, a double and three RBI.
Devin Carter and
Tyler Baker also collected three hits apiece and scored two and three runs, respectively.
After PLNU got on the board first with a run in the third, APU scored three in the bottom of the fourth to go up 3-1. Point Loma quickly answered with four runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to retake the lead 8-3.
This time the Sea Lions' bullpen could not hold the lead. After begin one of the strengths for PLNU all season, APU was finally able to break through with two runs in the seventh and five in the eighth to put Point Loma in a 10-8 hole heading to the ninth.
The Sea Lions had one more rally up in them as they put up six runs to retake the lead.
Matt Jervis and
Anthony Torres started the inning with a single and a walk before pinch hitter
Preston Sands sacrificed both runners into scoring position for
Tyler Baker with one out. Baker through with an opposite single field to left to score Jervis and Torres raced in from second to tie the game on an error by the left fielder. The Sea Lions were not done there.
Derr singled up the middle to score Baker from second and then
Ryan Garcia singled and Carter walked to reload the bases.
Tanner Handa hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score pinch runner
Jack Spohn but on the relay the shortstop committed an error allowing Garcia to score and the Sea Lions would tack on two more for the 14-10 lead.
Coleman Huntley III (1-1) earned his first win in a PLNU uniform. He pitched the final 1.2 innings allowing four hits and a run while striking out two. Starter
Kellen Sheppard went the first seven innings allowing six hits and five runs with 10 strikeouts. Michael Shaw took the loss after allowing three runs in 0.1 innings.
Game 2The Sea Lions got a quality start from
Trevor Abshire and they mounted a late rally but it was too late as they dropped the finale, and chance to split the series, 5-2.
Of the five runs that crossed the plate for APU, only one was earned. The Cougars finally broke through with the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth after the leadoff hitter reached on an error and scored on a double down the line. In the bottom of the sixth Azusa Pacific tacked on four more runs (three unearned) helped by three PLNU errors.
The Sea Lions tried to mount a one-out rally in the top of the seventh when
Alex Campos hit a solo home run before
Anthony Torres and
Matt Jervis registered back-to-back-singles. APU then brought its closer, Bliiy Sanford, in from the pen.
He got the first batter to strike out for the second out of the inning then walked
Trey Hunt to load the bases for
Tyler Baker who singled up the middle to make it 5-2 in favor of the Cougars. Coach
Joe Schaefer turned to pinch hitter
Jack Spohn with the game-tying run at first. After a six-pitch at bat Sanford won the battle by getting Spohn to ground out to shortstop for the final out of the game.
Abshire (2-1) was the tough luck loser in the contest. He gave up just one unearned run and four hits over five innings of work with seven strikeouts. Mike Fairchild picked up the win for APU. He went the first 6.1 innings allowing just the two runs in the seventh to go along with seven hits.
Anthony Torres was a perfect 3-for-3 with a stolen base for PLNU.
Jordan Brower was 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Cougars. Adrian Tovalin also had a pair of hits and Brian Magana scored two runs.
Next gamesPoint Loma will now travel to Oakland to face Holy Names in a four-game series on Mar. 12-14.
