LEWISTON, Ida. -- Former San Jose Valley Christian High School standouts Cameron Radonich and Kelly Strickland turned back the clock and played like it was yesteryear, leading Azusa Pacific to a convincing 9-3 victory over Eastern Oregon in a game played at Harris Field on the campus of Lewis-Clark State.
The two former high school teammates arrived together at Azusa Pacific in 1999 but the 5 years in between saw them spend more time off the field than on the field together. Tonight, it was like old times.
Radonich, who returned to baseball this year after a 2-year layoff and a brief stint with football, crushed a pair of home runs to lead a Cougar offense that churned out 12 hits. Radonich hit a solo bomb in the bottom of the third inning to tie that game at 1-1 and then hit a 2-run shot the next inning to give the Cougars a 6-1 lead at the time.
That was more than enough for Strickland, who recorded his first-ever complete-game effort in which he struck out a career-high 12 and scattered 5 hits. Not bad for a player who missed 2 seasons because of "Tommy John" surgery.
Nick Mercado aided the Cougar cause by going 4-for-5, while Matt Dzama was 2-for-5 which included a 2-run double in a 4-run third inning.
Since March 29 when the Cougars dropped a disheartening doubleheader at home to California Baptist, the Cougars have gone 8-2 and are playing their best baseball of the season.
With the victory, the Cougars improve to 23-17 on the season. They continue their stay in Idaho Thursday evening when they take on the NAIA's No. 2-ranked Lewis-Clark State, which the Cougars already defeated, 11-5, Tuesday night in their first game in Idaho.
