AZUSA, Calif. -- Needing at least a split with No. 17-ranked California Baptist and hoping for some help 300 miles away, Azusa Pacific took care of its own Pacific West Conference title hopes with a pair of one-run victories in Friday's 3-2, 1-0 doubleheader sweep at the Cougar Softball Complex.

California Baptist pitcher Ashley Coleman took a perfect game 17 batters deep into the opener, but Abry Moreno broke up Coleman's masterpiece with a two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the sixth. Two more infield hits loaded the bases for junior second baseman Nicki Sprague, who delivered a bases-clearing triple to right-center to lift the Cougars to the 3-2 win.

With the first victory in hand, which eliminated California Baptist from title contention, the Cougars could have clinched the PacWest title with a Concordia win over Dixie State, but that game was postponed with Concordia leading 8-5 in the sixth inning due to extensive weather delays in St. George, Utah. Moments later, Azusa Pacific scored the first run of Game 2 on a one-out single from Janelle Eccles in the bottom of the fourth inning, and the rest of the Cougars' title chase was history.

Junior lefthander Carly Xepoleas finished off a three-hit shutout by retiring 13 of the final 15 CBU batters, ensuring Azusa Pacific its first-ever PacWest title along with the conference's automatic NCAA Division II playoff berth.

Azusa Pacific wrapped up its regular season with a 38-10 overall record and a 25-5 PacWest mark, while California Baptist drops to 41- 11 overall, 24-8 PacWest.

Xepoleas only allowed one California Baptist batter to reach second base in the nightcap, and she erased a seventh-inning leadoff single with a double-play grounder and a game-ending infield popup to set off a wild celebration of the Cougars' first PacWest championship in softball.

Azusa Pacific claims the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II playoffs, which begin with eight teams competing in the West regional tournament. The tournament field and regional tournament hosts will be announced Monday morning.