AZUSA, CALIF. -- Azusa Pacific used a pair of third-inning solo home runs and then a fourth-inning 2-run single to get to 1997 GSAC Pitcher of the Year Bryce Primm and beat Southern California College, 6-1, in both team's 1998 GSAC opener in Azusa Wednesday afternoon.
Cougar catcher Justin Duarte (Glendora, Calif./Charter Oak HS) led the Azusa Pacific offense with a 2-for-3 day that included a trio of RBIs. In the third inning, Duarte connected on a solo home run (his third of the season) and then in the fourth, stroked a 2-out single to left field to score Mike Oliver and Gabe Miranda and put Azusa Pacific up 6-0 at the time and send Primm to the showers. Senior 3B Shane Petrelli (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza HS) led off the third inning with a solo home run, his second in as many days, just prior to Duarte's blast.
That was all senior pitcher David Doyle (Lynnwood, Wash./Lynnwood HS) would need as the burly right-hander turned in his second gem in as many outings this season. Doyle worked 7 innings, striking out 4 and allowing just 4 hits, 1 being a home run by Vanguard catcher Matt Littlefield in the sixth inning to account for SCC's lone run. Doyle has now allowed just 1 earned run in 14 innings of work this season, and in the process has established himself as Azusa Pacific's early season ace of the mound.
Senior CF Gabe Miranda (Baldwin Park, Calif./Bishop Amat HS), who the day before struck out 8 and surrended just 2 runs and 5 hits in 7 innings of work in the Cougars' 11-2 victory over Cal Poly Pomona, turned his influence from the mound to plate vs. SCC, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Miranda scored the game's first run after leading off Azusa Pacific's half of the first inning with a single that allowed him to move to second base when Vanguard left fielder Bryan Chambers booted the scooting ball in the outfield grass. One out later, Miranda trotted home on junior DH John Knott's (Covina, Calif./Gladstone HS) double to left-center.
The top of the Cougar line-up -- the first 4 batters -- accounted for 6 of the Cougars' 8 hits, going 6-for-15 with 6 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
Azusa Pacific turned to junior pitcher Fritz Maskrey (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita HS), who came on in relief with the bases full of Vanguards and 1 out in the ninth. Maskrey quickly got Terrick Clark to fly out to shallow left and then got first-pitch swinging Kevin Doyle to ground into a game-ending out at first base, which allowed Maskrey to pick up his first save of the season.
The game, which is Azusa Pacific's earliest GSAC contest ever, is the partial make-up a double-header that was rained out on Saturday, Feb. 7. The second game will be made up on Monday, Feb. 23, in Azusa at 2:30 p.m.
