This week
The Point Loma baseball team will face Azusa Pacific for the 2018 PacWest Baseball Championship on May 7-9 in Azusa, Calif. PLNU enters the game two games back of APU in the loss column, and will need to win three of four games to claim its first-ever PacWest title and the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA West Regional. The teams will play a single nine-inning game on Monday at 5 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 1 p.m., before closing out the series with another single, nine-inning game on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
 
Follow along
If you are unable to attend this week's games, or any PacWest games this season, they will all be available for fans to follow on live stats and live video. Games will be available on a pay-per-view basis at $7.95 per game. To access both live stats and live video visit plnusealions.com/gameday.
 
A look at the Sea Lions
Point Loma roll into Azusa as the hottest team in the PacWest. The Sea Lions did not lose in April and have won 14 straight games to move to 31-14 on the season. The winning streak allowed PLNU to jump multiple teams in the PacWest standings and climb into second place with a 27-9 record.
 
The Sea Lions are truly a balanced team, both in hitting and in pitching. Offensively, they rank third in the PacWest in batting average (.291), second in home runs (56) and first in stolen bases. Tyler Flores and Micah Pries pace the offensive attack for PLNU. Flores is leading the PacWest and is 10th in the nation with 18 home runs. He is also pacing the conference in RBI (58) and total bases (124). The senior outfielder is second in slugging percentage (.738) and fifth in hits (59). Micah Pries is leading the PacWest in hits with 72. He is third in the league in batting average (.389), second in runs (45) and third in runs batted in (44).
 
The biggest factor in the Sea Lions' winning streak though, is its pitching staff. PLNU had a 3.19 ERA in the month of April and the starters combined to go 10-0. However, it was the bullpen that made the difference in many of the wins. Ten different relievers combined to post a 2.56 ERA with 34 strike outs over 31.2 innings. On the season, PLNU has a 3.59 ERA to rank second in the PacWest and 15th in the country. They are also 11th in the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (8.14) and are 16th in WHIP (1.32). Garrett Irvin's 1.66 ERA paces the PacWest.
 
A look at the Cougars
Azusa Pacific ranks No. 3 in the country, according to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association poll. The Cougars opened the season by winning 34 of its first 37 games to move up to the No. 1 ranked team in the country. Since that point however, APU has gone 3-4 and opened the door for Point Loma in the PacWest standings. Azusa Pacific will need to win two games in the series to secure the PacWest title.
 
The Cougars come into the series with one of the best offensive units in the PacWest. APU leads the league in runs, home runs, walks, on-base average and slugging percentage. The trio of Mychael Goudreau, Justin Gomez and Pablo O'Connor rank first, second and fourth in the PacWest, respectively, in runs scored. O'Connor is also fourth in home runs (13), slugging (.695) and total bases (105). Austin Russ in leading the league with a .522 on-base percentage.
 
APU also boasts one of the conference's top pitchers atop its rotation on Isaiah Carranza. The righty is 9-0 with a 3.49 ERA. He has struck out 80 batters in 69.2 innings and has allowed just two home runs. Layne Henderson is 6-1 and leads the starters with a 2.49 ERA. As a unit, APU ranks third in the PacWest with a 4.12 ERA and is second in strike outs per nine innings (9.3).
 
Regional rankings
Both Point Loma and Azusa Pacific appeared in the NCAA West Regional rankings for the second straight week. APU remained at No. 2 while Point Loma climbed up to No. 3. To see the complete NCAA regional rankings, click here.
 
Other Sea Lion Notes
> Flores enters the series two home runs and six RBI short of breaking the Sea Lions' single-season records
> Last season, APU won three of four games in San Diego
> Point Loma last won a series against Azusa Pacific in 2014
> Irvin's ERA of 1.66 currently ranks him sixth in the PLNU record books for a single-season
> Trevor Abshire has moved into a tied with Kerry Morris for seventh all-time with 21 career wins
> John Balliet's six saves are one short of moving him into the top 10
> Irvin also needs just one strike out to tie Alfred Enano for 10th on the single-season list
> Micah Pries is also just four hits short of moving into the top 10 (currently at 72)
> Pries' six triples have already set the PLNU single-season record
 
Up next
Following the series, the Sea Lions will await their postseason fate. The announcement of whether they will be in or out and where they may go will be made on the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, May 13 at 7 p.m., on NCAA.com.