AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead over Cal State San Marcos in the opening game of Monday's non-conference doubleheader, setting the tone for a 13-5 mercy-rule win before CSUSM rallied for a 7-2 win in the nightcap to split the twinbill.
Even though Cal State San Marcos answered with a four-run second inning in the opener, Azusa Pacific added a single run in the third, two runs on a Kayla Jimenez home run in the fourth, another run in the fifth and a four-run sixth to close out the win. Jimenez homered again to lead off the sixth, and Desiree Chavez hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home the run that pushed the lead to eight and ended the game with a 13-5 margin.
The home runs doubled Jimenez's season total to four, and she was one of five Cougar hitters with multiple hits to lead the 13-run, 16-hit outburst. Freshman shortstop Illiana Jimenez registered four hits, while Chavez, Madison Hernandez, and Becca Dawson tallied two hits each.
Cal State San Marcos scored three of its four runs in the second inning on a two-out, bases-loaded double from Caylyn Rodriguez, but junior righthander Narissa Garcia fired three more shutout frames before surrendering a single unearned run in the sixth inning. Garcia improved to 10-6 with the victory.
In the second game, Azusa Pacific had runners on base in all seven innings, but the Cougars were scoreless through the first five frames as CSUSM steadily built a seven-run lead with a one-run third and three consecutive two-run innings. Dawson's one-out infield single in the bottom of the sixth inning scored pinch-runner Jacqueline Carlin, and Illiana Jimenez's leadoff triple in the seventh inning eventually led to the other APU run.
Robyn Alvara went three-for-three with three RBIs to lead the Cal State San Marcos offense in the second game, and Katie Wilkinson struck out six as she collected the complete-game win for CSUSM.
Azusa Pacific has a three-week break from Pacific West Conference play, taking its 19-17 record to the Tournament of Champions in Turlock this weekend. Cal State San Marcos is now 21-6 overall.
