In a game that saw 4 lead changes, Azusa Pacific took the lead for good in the sixth when first baseman Ramon Ricabal lined a 1-out single to center to score Chris Ewing and Matt Lewallen, giving Azusa Pacific an 11-10 lead at the time. In the eighth, Azusa Pacific added an insurance run when Gabe Miranda lined a single down the left-field line to score Larry Panaro to put the Cougars up 12-10.

The rest was up to Cougar reliever Brian Baker, who picked up his fifth save of the season by retiring 5 of the final 8 Mustangs to clinch the Azusa Pacific win.

Miranda finished the game 5-for-6 with 2 runs and an RBI. Ricabal was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Justin Duarte was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, including 1 off a solo home run in the fifth (his team-leading 17th) that put the Cougars up 8-7 at the time. Two batters later, Bobby Sanchez (2-for-3, 3 RBIs) lined his third home run of the season, a solo shot over the right field fence to give the Cougars a 9-7 cushion.

The Mustangs, who were paced by Ty Sager's 3-for-4, 3 RBIs effort, rallied with 3 runs in the top of the sixth to take a short-lived 10-9 lead. Sager's 2-out, 2-run single scored Preston Sprinkle (3-for-6, 2 RBIs) and Luke Kollman with the tying and go-ahead runs.

Cougar reliever Shawn Lange came on with 2 outs in the sixth and finally quieted the Mustang bats, pitching 1.2 innings of 2-hit ball to pick up his third win of the season.

The loss drops The Master's to 34-9 and into an elimination game with Southern California College later tonight (8:30 p.m. first pitch). With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 33-9 and advances to Saturday's championship game, an 11 a.m. start against the winner of the Southern California College/The Master's game. At stake will be a berth into the 6-team NAIA West Regional Playoffs to be played May 8-12 in Caldwell, Ida.