AZUSA, Calif. –Azusa Pacific used 5 first innings walks to jump out to a 4-0 lead then cruised the rest of the way for a 19-0 win over NAIA independent Bethany College of Scotts Valley, Calif. as the Cougars won their seventh straight season-opener.

The win is the largest margin of victory in a season opener in program history, and it also sets the mark for most runs in a season-opener. Both previous records were set in the Cougars' 17-0 win over Whitter to open the 1997 season.

The Cougars, who were issued 11 free passes tonight, scored 4 runs on just 1 hit in their first at-bat, and could have done more damage but left the sacks loaded. Despite scoring 19 runs on the night, the Cougars left 12 runners on base.

"It's always good to go out and get a win in that first game," said new Azusa Pacific head coach Paul Svagdis. "One of the things I was impressed was that in games like this you can lose focus as a team, and these guys did a good job of staying focused for 9 innings."

With one out in the second inning, Cameron Radonich drew the Cougars' sixth walk of the game then scored on Matt Dzama's booming home run to left to give the Cougars' a 6-0 lead. Dzama, who hit 9 home runs in 2001, is returning from a broken arm that forced him to miss all of last season. He finished 2-for-3 with 4 runs and 2 RBIs and also tossed a scoreless ninth.

Sophomore Mike Medlock picked up his first collegiate win, firing 6 innings and striking out 6 while only allowing 2 hits. Three Cougar relievers threw the final 3 innings, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 2.

"That was exactly what we were looking for from Mike," said Svagdis. "He'll be challenged a lot more as we get into the season, but he came out yesterday to practice was focused, and it carried over to today. He threw strikes all night, and he challenged them."

Every Cougar starter reached base and 7 of the 9 had at least 1 hit. Alex Valadez, who hit just 1 home run all of last year, hit a pair tonight and finished 3-for-4 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs. He hit a solo shot in the fifth and a 3-run opposite field blast in the sixth.

Leadoff hitter Nick Mercado had 3 hits, 2 RBIs, and he scored twice. Radonich, Dzama and Traviss Hodge each had a pair of hits.

With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 1-0 on the season. Bethany drops to 0-2.