AZUSA, Calif. - The task at hand for Sea Lions just became a lot harder as they were swept in a doubleheader at No. 9 Azusa Pacific on Tuesday, May 7. APU won the opener 10-1 and took the nightcap 8-3.
 
PLNU, which entered the game ranked No. 3 in the NCAA West Region, saw its hopes to host the regional take a hit with the pair of losses. However, PLNU can still bounce back tomorrow, and if they take both games, they will win the season series from the No. 1 team in the region.
 
Game 1: Azusa Pacific got eight strong innings from AJ Woodall and quality offensive performances up and down their lineup to win the opener 10-1.
 
Woodall held the Sea Lions hitless over the first three innings, allowing the Cougars' bats to warm up, and when they did, they scored in four of the next five innings. With a 1-0 lead heading into the fourth, the Cougars pushed a single run across the plate before adding two more an inning later. They broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning, which included home runs from Cole Kleszcz and Joe Quire Jr.
 
Kleszcz finished the game 3-for-4 with two home runs and four runs scored. Joseph Kim and Griffen Herrera chipped in with a pair of three-hit games. Woodall improved to 7-2 on the season after pitching 8.0 innings, allowing six hits, one run, and two walks, while striking out six
 
PLNU scored its lone run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Micah Pries in the eighth.
 
Game 2: Cole Kleszcz continued his hot hitting in game 2 by going 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks, three RBI and two runs scored. His three-run home run in the sixth extended the Cougars' lead from 4-3 to 7-3, and the Sea Lions would never recover as they lost 8-3.
 
APU scored three in the first inning off a home run from Justin Gomez. PLNU pulled back even in the third when Micah Pries launched a three-run homer, his 18th of the season.
 
Azusa Pacific would take the lead back in the fourth on a pair of doubles. It remained that way until the sixth when Kleszcz struck again.
 
Nick Estrella (9-1) picked up the win. He went six innings allowing five hits and three runs while walking one and striking out nine. Stirling Strong (4-3) took the loss.
 
Colby Kaneshiro, Travis Takata, and Jarrett Lindsay all recorded multi-hit performances in the loss for PLNU.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (28-19, 16-13 PacWest), Azusa Pacific (36-11, 26-4 PacWest)
 
PacWest Implications
Azusa Pacific has already wrapped up the 2019 PacWest Championship. The losses leave PLNU in third place, but just a half-game ahead of Biola, which concluded conference play at 17-15.
 
News and notes
> This was the first series-opening start for Garkow and the first time Strong has pitched No. 2 in the rotation this season
> The home run moved Micah Pries into second in PLNU history with 35 career home runs (record-39)
> Colby Kaneshiro and Miguel Cazares each extended their streak of reaching base safely to eight games
> Since PLNU took the series from APU earlier this season, the Cougars have gone 25-2
 
Next games
The teams will pick their series tomorrow at PLNU on Senior Day for the Sea Lions. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 12:05 p.m. The games will both be broadcast by Niles Media Group and are available on the Division II, PacWest, Azusa Pacific and Point Loma Facebook pages on the DII Twitter page at @NCAADII, through the Periscope app at @NCAADII and through the PacWest, Azusa Pacific and Point Loma digital networks.