AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific's offense got warmed up in its first game of the day, just in time for GSAC Pitcher of the Year Andrew Bovich to shut it right back down with a strong 8-inning effort Tuesday evening that led No. 1-seeded Point Loma Nazarene to an 8-1 win over the fourth-seeded Cougars in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round hosted by Azusa Pacific University.

Bovich has converted 15 starts this season into 12 victories without a loss, and the senior southpaw scattered 9 Cougar hits over 8 innings while striking out 5 and surrendering just a single run. He also held the Cougar offense, which led the GSAC in doubles and home runs this year, without an extra-base hit.

The loss drops Azusa Pacific into the loser's bracket, where they will play an elimination game Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of the morning elimination game between Purdue North Central (Ind.) and GSAC rival Biola.

Point Loma Nazarene, the GSAC regular-season and postseason tournament champion, advances to Wednesday's 2:15 p.m. winners bracket contest against British Columbia, with the winner earning a place in Thursday's championship game.

Kurt Steinhauer hit 2 home runs in a 3-for-5 effort to pace the Point Loma Nazarene offense, and his 2-run home run to right-center in the top of the third inning provided 2 runs in the Sea Lions' 4-run frame that broke a scoreless tie. Azusa Pacific responded in the bottom of the third with back-to-back 2-out singles with runners aboard that cut Point Loma Nazarene's lead to 4-1, but Bovich got junior catcher Ryan Delgado to pop a full-count offering out to first base in foul ground to leave the bases loaded with the 3-run lead intact. Steinhauer added another home run to right-center, a sixth-inning solo shot that extended the lead to 6-1.

Leadoff singles for Azusa Pacific in the sixth and seventh innings were both wiped out by double-play grounders to shortstop Tyler Kuehl, and no Cougar player advanced safely to second base after the third inning. Junior designated hitter Chris Feichtwas the only Azusa Pacific hitter with multiple hits, registering a 2-for-4 performance. Eight of Point Loma Nazarene's offensive starters hit safely, with 6 of them collecting 2 or more hits. Steinhauer and third baseman Wes Kartch posted matching 3-for-5 efforts at the plate.

The defeat drops Azusa Pacific's season record to 34-19, while Point Loma Nazarene now stands at 39-11 on the year.