AZUSA, CALIF. -- The NAIA's No. 3-ranked Azusa Pacific scored 6 runs in the fourth inning, including 3 unearned tallies, to blow open a tight game and defeat Cal State Hayward, 7-0, in the opening round of the NAIA Region II Softball Playoffs at Northside Park, Wednesday afternoon.
Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year Lorna Lyttle led off Azusa Pacific's fourth inning with a double to right center. Back-to-back singles by Laura Powers and Jennifer Stark pushed Lyttle home to put the Cougars up 2-0. One out later, Jennifer Powell successfully executed a suicide squeeze, scoring pinch-runner Cassie Lakey from third base, increasing the Cougar margin to 3-0.
After a Jennie Waleszonia single plated Stark to make it 4-0, the wheels began to fall off for Cal State Hayward. With runners at second and third, Azusa Pacific's Cristal Brown grounded to short where Pioneer shortstop Rachel Abrams threw home to get Powell trying to score. However, Cal State Hayward catcher Jen Johnson thought it was a force play and failed to tag Powell, who slid across the plate and was ruled safe. Brown then attempted to steal second base, and when Pioneer second baseman Jennifer Aguilar deflected the throw into left field, Waleszonia trotted home from third base. Brown later scored after Abrams booted a Shannon Long grounder.
In all, Azusa Pacific parlayed 4 hits, 3 stolen bases and 3 Pioneer errors into a 6-run inning, which was more than enough for GSAC Pitcher of the Year Mandy Dorow , who scattered 6 hits and struck out 2 over 7 innings to pick up her 12th shutout of the season and improve to 22-6.
Both Stark and Waleszonia finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Gina Ledesma was 2-for-3 for Cal State Hayward.
With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 45-13 on the season and advances to tonight's winner's bracket game at 7 p.m. against Point Loma Nazarene, who defeated Biola in the second game of the tournament. Cal State Hayward falls to 29-12 and will take on Biola at 5 p.m. tonight in a loser's out game.
Linescore
Cal State Hayward 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0 6 4
Azusa Pacific 1 0 0 6 0 0 x -- 7 10 0
Christy Smith (L, 14-7), Jean Marie Asmega (4) and Jen Johnson, Jami Hiller (4)
Mandy Dorow (W, 22-6) and Sasha Budde
2B – Lorna Lyttle (APU)
