COSTA MESA, Calif. –- Ryan Marcos had 4 hits and 5 RBIs, and Matt Dzama pitched and hit the Cougars to an extra-inning victory as Azusa Pacific picked up a key GSAC twinbill road sweep of Vanguard, downing the Lions 8-3 and 3-2.
In the opening game, Marcos drilled a pair of 2-run doubles, one in a 5-run second inning and another in the sixth, to pace the Cougars to a comfortable victory over the Lions. Marcos' first double highlighted an outburst that gave the Cougars a 6-0 lead by third inning.
That was more than enough for pitcher Andy Alstot, who 6-hit Vanguard over 6 innings of work, striking out 3 in the process while picking up his third win in 4 decisions this season.
The Cougars collected 12 hits, including 5 doubles off Vanguard hurler Kaleo Lopez who worked all 9 innings. Shortstop Robbie Lindsey and designated hitter Robert Guiles each had 2 hits.
In a scheduled 7-inning second game, Dzama pitched 3 scoreless innings and drilled a ninth-inning game-winning double to the wall in right-center that scored Marcos to give Azusa Pacific the sweep.
The Cougars rallied from near defeat by scoring 2 runs in the top of the seventh. Lindsey's sacrifice fly to centerfield narrowly pushed Nick Mercado across the plate with 2 outs to force extra frames. Marcos got the Cougars on the board earlier in the inning with an RBI single that scored Cameron Radonich, who had led off the inning with a pinch hit double to right field.
For the day, Marcos was 4-for-9 with 5 RBIs and 2 doubles. Dzama was 3-for-9 at the plate with an RBI. All told pitched 4 innings of 1 hit relief between the 2 games. Mercado was 4-for-9 with 3 runs.
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 20-15 overall and greatly enhances its postseason chances by improving to 15-10 in GSAC play. Vanguard falls to 21-22 overall, 10-12 in the GSAC.
