AZUSA, CALIF. -- Senior pitcher David Doyle gave up a 2-run home run in the first inning and then settled down to retire 14 of the next 16 batters, allowing Azusa Pacific to come back and beat Concordia, 4-2, in the first round of the NAIA Far West Sectional Baseball playoffs at Azusa Pacific, Thursday night.
With 2 outs in the first, Doyle surrendered a 2-run blast to Chad Smith, his 11th home run of the season, to allow the Eagles to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The Cougars finally got to Concordia pitcher Matt Broesamle in the fourth inning, combining a Karel Castro double, a Hondo Godinez single and a Gabe Miranda double to tally 3 runs, 2 of them unearned. Miranda's 2-out liner to the left-center gap put the Cougars up for good at 3-2, scoring Godinez and Matt Lewallen, who got on base by a Seth Myers fielding error at first base.
The Cougars added an insurance run when catcher Justin Duarte led off the fifth inning with a solo home run, his team-leading 16th of the season.
Concordia missed a chance to cut into the Cougar lead when Brandon Reimer, who was trying to score on a Jeff Stodgell single, was cut down at the plate by a throw from right fielder Mike Oliver to squash a 7th inning rally.
From there on it was all Cougar pitching. Brian Baker relieved a tiring Doyle in the eighth and after giving up a lead-off single, retired the final 6 batters of the game, 3 by strikeouts.
Miranda finished the game 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs and a double. Ramon Ricabal was 2-for-4 with a double. Doyle went 7 innings, striking out 4 and walking 2 while giving up 7 hits.
Concordia was paced by Smith, who was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Ben Kindreich was 2-for-4.
With the win the Cougars improve to 32-9 (17-3 since March 21) and will meet The Master's College at 3 p.m. on Friday in Azusa (The Master's was a 3-1 winner over Southern California College earlier in the day). Concordia falls to 21-25 and will meet Southern California College at 11 a.m. on Friday in Azusa.
