LAS VEGAS -- Just as it did the day before, Azusa Pacific followed an impressive offensive outburst in its opening game with a setback later on, resulting in a Saturday split at the Desert Stinger tournament at Majestic Park in Las Vegas.

The Cougars pounded out 15 hits in a 12-6 win over Simon Fraser and collected eight more hits in a 6-4 defeat to Minot State Saturday evening. Sophomore third baseman Nicki Sprague reached safely in seven of her eight plate appearances, going three-for-three with two walks against Simon Fraser while collecting two more hits in three at-bats against Minot State.

After surrendering two runs in the first inning against Simon Fraser, including a leadoff home run to start the game from SFU's leadoff hitter Taylor Gillis, Azusa Pacific got a run back in the bottom of the first when Madison Hernandez drew a one-out bases-loaded walk to cut the lead to 2-1. The Cougars took the lead for good with a four-run second inning, scoring all four with two outs starting with Sprague's two-run double to straightaway center. Sprague stole third and then scored on an errant throw, and Sona Babayan singled and later scored on Renae Chappelle's infield single two batters later.

The Cougars added two runs in the third inning to take a 7-3 lead, which Simon Fraser cut to 7-5 with a pair of unearned runs in the fourth. Chappelle answered with a solo home run to right-center in the bottom of the fourth, and a four-run fifth inning made it 12-5. All four runs in the fifth again came with two outs, starting when Hernandez drove in a pair with a single to left field.

Junior righthander Narissa Garcia finished the game with 3.1 innings of relief, giving up one run on two hits with three strikeouts to pick up the victory.

In the second game, Garcia retired the first six Minot State batters, and Azusa Pacific jumped out to the early lead with two runs in the second inning on run-scoring singles from Katrina Oviedo and Kayla Jimenez. Sprague added an RBI single in the third, giving the Cougars a 3-1 lead before Minot State tied the game on Sarah Nicks' two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning. Minot State added two more on a two-out single to finish off a four-run frame, which Jimenez answered with a two-out solo home run to right center to trim the margin to 5-4.

Rachel Burdette's solo homer in the top of the sixth gave Minot State an insurance run, and Mindy Lorimor retired the final seven Azusa Pacific hitters to finish off the complete-game win.

Jimenez finished the day with four hits, two in each game, and Illiana Jimenez, Hernandez, Chappelle, and Becca Dawson also added two hits each in Saturday's opening win.

The Cougars return home to start a 12-game homestand with the first of six consecutive home doubleheaders, hosting Adelphi on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m. Azusa Pacific opens Pacific West Conference play Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21, in a four-game series with Academy of Art.