LEWISTON, Idaho -- The third time is indeed a charm.

Playing its third straight game against an NAIA Top 5 team, Azusa Pacific used a 4-run sixth inning to complete a comeback and take a 7-4 lead before grinding out a 13-10 win over the NAIA's No. 3-ranked and 2-time defending NAIA champion Lewis-Clark St. (Idaho) in the opener of a 4-game series.

With the win, the Cougars improve to 23-13 with their tenth win in the past 13 games. The Warriors, who earlier in the day beat NCAA Division I Washington State, drop to 28-6 overall as the loss snaps their 6-game winning streak. It was also their first loss to an NAIA team this year.

The Cougars dropped both games of a doubleheader Saturday at No. 5-ranked Point Loma Nazarene.

Lewis-Clark St., which has won 13 NAIA titles and 8 since 1990, opened up a 3-0 lead behind a 2-RBI double from Brandon Morris in its first at-bat off Cougar starter Derek Wohlers.

However, Wohlers settled down and allowed just 3 more runs in the next 6.1 innings to keep the Cougars in the game. Wohlers, who defeated L-C St. last year, picked up the win for his second straight win over the Warriors.

The Cougars trailed 4-3 heading to the sixth when Billy Gwinn tied the game with a pinch-hit triple to right. Nick Mercado then gave the Cougars a 5-4 lead, their first of the game with an RBI single that scored Gwinn. Three batters later, Robbie Lindsey drew a bases loaded walk, and Glenn Hedgpeth followed with an RBI single to give the Cougars a 7-4 lead they would not relinquish.

The Warriors scored another run in the sixth to get within 7-5, but the Cougars plated 2 more in the seventh on a Joe Morrison RBI double and a Cameron Radonich infield single to open up a 9-5 lead.

Lewis-Clark St. scored another run in the eighth off Wohlers before he was lifted in favor of Hedgpeth. The Cougars, however, seemingly put the game away with 4 runs in the ninth, keyed by a 2-RBI triple by Morrison, to take a 13-6 lead.

The Warriors scored 4 runs in the ninth, 3 of them coming before an out was recorded. They then had the tying run at the plate, but Hedgpeth struck out Ryan Stevenson to end the threat and pick up the save.

Hedgpeth and Stephen Vogt both went 3-for-5 to pace the Cougars' 15-hit attack. Morrison was 2-for-2 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs, and Jeff Stanliand was 2-for-3 with 3 runs and an RBI.