AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific struck for 4 first-inning runs in a 12-4 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over California Baptist, keeping the NAIA's No. 8-ranked Cougars locked in a 3-way first-place tie with No. 3 Point Loma Nazarene and No. 19 The Master's in the conference standings.
Senior righthander Garrett Lebsock moved into a tie for the NAIA lead in wins, picking up his seventh victory in 7 appearances this season, and junior first baseman Brice Cutspec's first-inning 3-run shot moved him into a tie for the NAIA home runs lead with 16 on the year.
Lebsock retired 10 of the first 11 California Baptist batters, registering 3 of his 4 strikeouts, and in that time the Azusa Pacific offense had already tallied 5 runs in the game's first 2 innings. Cutspec slammed a rocket to right field on the first pitch he saw with 1 out in the bottom of the first to give the Cougars a 3-0 lead, and junior third baseman Ryan Delgado doubled and scored on senior leftfielder Stephen Gillette's RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 4-0 in the opening frame.
Azusa Pacific loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second and made it 5-0 when sophomore rightfielder Virgil Chavira was hit by pitch that scored 1 and brought up the middle of the Cougar lineup. However, Lancers reliever Bobby Kelley struck out Cutspec and Delgado before escaping any further with an inning-ending flyout.
California Baptist trimmed the lead to 5-2 on Zach Hedges' 2-run home run in the top of the fourth, but Azusa Pacific took advantage of 3 wild pitches, a balk and 2 walks in the bottom of the fifth to push the lead to 10-2 with a 5-run burst. Senior second baseman Ryan Dowell's 2-run double followed a sequence of a walk followed by 3 straight wild pitches, another walk and a balk. Chavira cashed Dowell in from scoring position with a single up the middle that wrapped up the scoring in the inning.
Dowell recorded game-highs of 3 runs and 4 hits to pace an Azusa Pacific offense that registered 12 runs on 16 hits but left another 12 runners on base in the contest. Chavira was 3-for-5 with a double, and Lane went 1-for-2 with 3 walks.
Lebsock scattered 4 runs on 8 hits, giving up 2 of the 4 runs in the seventh inning. Junior righthander Garrett Granitz retired 6 of 7 Lancers to finish the game with 2 innings of 1-hit ball, lowering his season ERA to 0.60.
With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 21-3 overall, 11-2 GSAC, while California Baptist's losing streak hits 9 games and drops the Lancers to 13-11 overall, 5-9 GSAC. The Cougars are back in action Saturday, March 14, with a noon doubleheader against Biola. The other conference co-leaders meet head-to-head Saturday when The Master's visits Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego.
