Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SEASIDE, Calif. – Simply put, the doubleheader belonged to Daniel Martin.
Martin put on an offensive show anyone would be proud of as he hit three homeruns, recorded nine RBIs and scored five times to pace Azusa Pacific to the sweep.
Game 1 – Azusa Pacific 10, Cal State Monterey Bay 4
A big individual effort by Daniel Martin spurred the Cougars to the win.
Martin put together a career game as he paced the Cougars offense. The second baseman went 4-for-4 with seven RBIs and three runs scored. Martin pounded two homeruns as he collected 10 total bases.
Jordan Brower went 3-for-4 at the plate scoring once and drove-in another. Adrian Tovalin also put together a multi-hit effort with two singles in four at-bats. The freshman also drove in two runs.
On the mound Jacob Cage got the win by going 5.0 innings where he struck out six, while giving-up just four hits and two earned runs.
The Cougars got off to a solid start as they put a three-spot on the scoreboard in the first inning. Martin started the scoring when he blasted the Cougars first homerun of the year. The junior took Andrew Astone's 0-1 offering over the left centerfield wall which also scored Cam Bennett. Two batters later Tovalin hit a sacrifice fly that scored Brower; who reached base with a double.
Azusa Pacific continued to hold that three-run edge until they added an insurance run in the fifth inning. Martin singled home Ryan Santana to put the Cougars in front 4-0. Despite allowing two runs in the bottom half of the inning, the Cougars never got rattled as they placed crooked numbers on the scoreboard in the late innings.
In the seventh inning they scored two runs on three hits all with two-outs to increase their lead back to four runs. Brower singled home Mitch Dergazarian for the first run then a Tovalin single plated Martin. For all intensive purpose the game was put away when Azusa Pacific scored four runs in the eighth inning. Martin jacked a 1-0 pitched over the left field wall with two outs for a grand slam.
Cal State Monterey Bay scored twice in the ninth but it was too little too late.
Game 2 – Azusa Pacific 5, Cal State Monterey Bay 4
For the second time in a 24-hour period late inning heroics lifted the Cougars.
Azusa Pacific continued their early inning success by scoring the game's first three runs. Jordan Brower began the scoring with an RBI double that scored Michael Staudinger. Adrian Tovalin singled to right center two pitches later to score Daniel Martin and Brower.
Trailing 3-0, the home team scored twice in their half of the opening inning on RBI singles from Josh Heinz and Ty Morris. The Sea Otters took a 4-3 lead in the third inning when Kevin Davidson took the first offering from Wyatt Wood over the wall for a two-run blast.
The scored remained 4-3 Cal State Monterey Bay until the seventh and final inning. After recording a quick out the Sea Otters allowed Sean Aspinall to reach with a single to right field. Martin calmly stepped into the box and on a 2-2 pitch smashed his third homerun of the day with a jack over the left field wall to give the Cougars a 5-4 edge.
Josh Grajeda came in and struck out the side in order to seal the victory and earn the win.
Wood went 5.0 innings, giving-up seven hits and striking out three.
Azusa Pacific will take the next week off before hosting Cal Poly Pomona. The home opener next Friday, Feb. 13 will also be Friends of Joclyn Day which works to improve the quality of life for children with brain tumors.
