AZUSA, CALIF. -- Azusa Pacific made it a clean sweep through the NAIA Far West Sectional Baseball Playoffs by knocking off Southern California College, 14-8, Saturday afternoon in the championship game in Azusa. Junior righthander Fritz Maskrey went 6 innings, yielding only 4 hits and 4 unearned runs and striking out 8 to give the Cougars a bid into the NAIA Far West Regional Playoffs, May 8-12 in Caldwell, Ida.
The Cougars nearly gave the game away, tallying six errors that led to 5 unearned runs. But the Cougars chased Vanguards starter David Ross early, to get the win.
Junior catcher Justin Duarte hit his 18th home run of the season, a 3-run blast in the 7th that gave the Cougars a 12-4 lead. Junior third basemen Bobby Sanchez was 4-for-5 on the afternoon and scored 3 runs. For the Vanguards, first baseman Eric Booth and third basemen Mike Grasse each went 2-for-5.
Azusa Pacific improves to 34-9 overall and awaits the announcement of their opponent in the first round of the West Regionals, while the Vanguards' season ends at 24-23.
