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Azusa Pacific University Athletics

The Online Home of the Azusa Pacific Cougars
1
Azusa Pacific APU 7-1, 0-1 GSAC
3
Winner The Master's TMC 9-2, 1-0 GSAC
Azusa Pacific APU
7-1, 0-1 GSAC
1
Final
3
The Master's TMC
9-2, 1-0 GSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Azusa Pacific APU 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 2
The Master's TMC 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 X 3 8 0

W: ZELLER (2-0) L: Hodges, Garrett (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Joe Reinsch

Cougars Outdualed in GSAC Opener

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- Garrett Hodges was outstanding for Azusa Pacific in its Golden State Athletic Conference opener at The Master's Wednesday afternoon, but Mustangs starter Joe Zeller mastered the NAIA's No. 8-ranked Cougars and their explosive offense to lead his team to a 3-1 victory Wednesday afternoon.
 
Hodges fired 5 scoreless innings to start the pitchers' duel, erasing leadoff hits in both of the first 2 innings by inducing double play ground balls. He then retired 10 straight batters before surrendering the game's first run in the bottom of the sixth when the Mustangs' No. 9 hitter Dustin Jones reached on an infield hit and came around to score on a 1-out sacrifice fly.
 
Junior third baseman Ryan Delgado answered with the game's only extra-base hit, a leadoff double in the top of the seventh off Zeller, who had retired 16 of 19 batters after plunking the game's leadoff batter. Pinch-runner Todd Stiles scored from third on junior designated hitter Chris Feicht's 2-out single to center that tied the game at 1-1. Hodges retired the Mustangs in order in the seventh, but Zeller was equal to the task, setting the Cougars down in order in the top of the eighth.
 
Jones was the sparkplug again for The Master's in the eighth, reaching on a 1-out single and eventually scoring on another sacrifice fly after advancing to third on a Cougar throwing error. Zeller, whose sacrifice fly in the sixth brought home the game's first run, gave himself an insurance run to protect with a 2-out RBI single. He issued a 1-out walk in the ninth to junior first baseman Brice Cutspec before inducing a flyout and a game-ending strikeout to seal the complete-game win.
 
After hitting the Cougars' leadoff man, senior second baseman Ryan Dowell, in the top of the first, Zeller struck out 6 straight batters and didn't allow another baserunner until the fourth inning, when singles from senior rightfielder Eddie Crespo and Delgado gave Azusa Pacific runners at first and third with just 1 out. However, Zeller got Cutspec to pop out to third before registering another of his 11 strikeouts to get out of the jam.
 
Hodges scattered 3 runs on 9 hits over 7 2/3 innings, striking out 5 with no walks to fall to 1-1 on the season. He gave way to senior righthander Christian Gagné for the final out of the eighth, just missing his second complete game in 3 starts this season. Gagné struck out the only batter he faced.
 
With the loss, Azusa Pacific drops to 7-1 on the season, 0-1 GSAC, while The Master's improves to 9-2, 1-0 GSAC. The Cougars continue conference play with an 11 a.m. road doubleheader at Concordia on Saturday, Feb. 14.
 
 
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