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Azusa Pacific University Athletics

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2
Chapman CHAP 2-2
5
Winner Azusa Pacific APU 2-4
Chapman CHAP
2-2
2
Final
5
Azusa Pacific APU
2-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Chapman CHAP 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 1
Azusa Pacific APU 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 X 5 8 1

W: Palumbo, Mike (1-1) L: Andrew Tisdale (0-1) S: Litchfield, B.J. (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Palumbo Baffles Panther Bats

AZUSA, Calif. – Senior Mike Palumbo pitched 6-plus solid innings, allowing just 2 runs and senior Eric Ordorica belted his third home run of the season to lift Azusa Pacific to a 5-2 win over Chapman, snapping the Cougars' 4-game losing streak.
 
The 4-game losing streak was the Cougars longest since April of 2000 when they dropped 4 straight at the Lewis-Clark St. Tournament.
 
Chapman jumped all over Palumbo in its first at-bat, putting 2 of the first 3 batters on with back-to-back one out singles.  However, Palumbo induced the Panthers into an inning ending double-play, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon.  Ordorica then took full advantage, sending the ball well over the left field fence for his third longball of the season.
The very next inning, Chapman put its first 2 batters on again, and again Palumbo forced a rally-killing double-play, the second of 4 Cougar double plays on the day.
 
The Panthers tied the game up in the third, however back-to-back doubles by juniors Rocky Binkowski and Shaun Beutner gave the Cougars lead for good, 2-1. Azusa Pacific added to its advantage with 3 runs in the fifth inning, 2 of them coming off a 2-out, 2-RBI single from Seth Johnson.
 
The Panthers tried to threaten in the seventh inning, getting a leadoff home run off of Palumbo.  However, head coach Tony Barbone lifted Palumbo and handed the game to his bullpen, which fired the final 3 scoreless innings.  Senior closer B. J. Litchfield pitched the ninth to pick up his second save in as many opportunities after junior Andy Alstot shut the Panthers down in the seventh and eighth frames.
 
Palumbo scattered 7 hits and gave up 2 earned runs in his 6-plus innings to pick up his first run of the season.  Offensively, the Cougars managed 8 timely hits.  Binkowski finished 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  In addition to his third home run of the season, Ordorica scored a pair of runs.
 
With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 2-4 overall.  Chapman falls to 2-2.  The Cougars host NCAA Division II-power Chico State Friday evening at 6 p.m.
 
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