AZUSA, Calif. – The Point Loma baseball team fell to nationally ranked Azusa Pacific by scores of 8-5 and 7-0 today (April 2).

Game one: The Sea Lions hung around with the No. 8 team in the country but the Cougars surge in the middle innings of the game proved to be too much for PLNU to overcome.

Azusa Pacific got the scoring started in the second inning on a solo home run by Evan Banks. Point Loma quickly responded tying the game 1-1 in the third inning. Izayah Alvarez led off the inning with a double, two ground outs would advance Alvarez to third and then home to tie the game.

Point Loma did their best to keep the Cougar offense at bay but APU exploded in the middle innings. Azusa Pacific put up two runs in the fifth and sixth, and three runs in the seventh to open up an 8-1 lead. The Cougars generated seven runs on seven hits including three extra-base hits.

The Sea Lions would not go away quietly as they cut into the Cougar lead in the top of the eighth inning. Alvarez led off the inning with a single and Easton Waterman followed that up with a walk. After Michael Whiteside was retired Otto Kemp dug in. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Otto Kemp sent the pitch over the left-field wall to cut the Cougar lead. PLNU could not keep the rally going and went to the bottom half of the inning trailing 8-4.

Point Loma did not allow APU to score in eighth and looked for a rally in the ninth to extend the game to extras or take the lead. Justin Ledgerwood brought the Sea Lions one run closer after a solo shot to right-center.

Point Loma was unable to keep the momentum going and dropped game one 8-5.

Game two: Nathan Garkow carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning of game two but was unable to carry his dominance into the late innings.

Game two was a pitcher's duel as both offenses were shutout through four innings. The Cougars were able to get to Garkow in the fifth inning of the game. The Cougars tallied seven runs on five hits. Three hits were for extra bases (two home runs, one double).

Point Loma threatened to score in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with one out. The Sea Lions were unable to push a run across as Cory Dawson struck out the next two PLNU batters.

Point Loma was unable to get a rally started in the seventh and dropped game two 7-0.

Decisions
Game one: WIN A.J. Woodall (4-0), LOSS: Zack Noll (0-3)
Game two: WIN Cory Dawson (3-0), LOSS Nathan Garkow (1-1)

Team records
Point Loma (6-8, 5-5 PacWest), #8 Azusa Pacific (16-3, 9-1 PacWest)

News and notes
> Nathan Garkow picked up his first loss of the season.
> Otto Kemp extended his on-base streak to 12 games.
> The 15 runs scored by the Cougars is the second-lowest they have scored in a two-game series at home this season.

Up next
Point Loma will host #8 Azusa Pacific tomorrow, Saturday, April 3. The first game is scheduled to start at noon.