AZUSA, CALIF. -- Azusa Pacific went back to the basics of old-fashioned baseball, using solid pitching and timely hitting to post a GSAC doubleheader sweep of SCC this afternoon in Azusa to remain unbeaten at home this season.
In the opening game, SCC scored 2 runs in their first at-bat against freshman pitcher Kelly Strickland. However, the Cougars scored five in their half of the inning to stake a 5-2 lead. They added 2 more in the bottom of second to put the game away. Junior pitcher Mike Kleckner relieved Strickland in the third inning, and pitched a solid 5.2 innings, allowing only 1 hit while silencing the Vanguard bats. Senior third baseman Bobby Sanchez was 2-for-3 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs, which came off his first home run of the season. Senior 2B Grady Sain went 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs. Senior DH Karel Castro was 3-for-5 as well.
In the nightcap, Senior pitcher Fritz Maskrey fired his fourth straight complete-game victory, limiting SCC to 5 runs and 8 hits striking out 8. The clutch moment came, however, in the top of the sixth inning with the score tied at 5-5, and the Vanguards had the bases loaded with two outs. Maskrey froze SCC's Jason Murrietta on a 3-2 curveball ending the Vanguard's hopes of a rally.
The next inning, Sain scored on a passed ball, and the Cougars added one more on senior 1B John Knott's triple, then added two more on senior C Justin Duarte's 2-run home run. The HR was Duarte's 7th on the season, and his 30th for his career, making him only the 4th player in Azusa Pacific history to hit 30 or more career HR's.
With the sweep, the Cougars improve to 15-4-1 overall and 9-2 in the GSAC.
