Needing to with the final four games of the season against rival California Baptist, the Cougars won the second of a four-game series 11-10 on Friday evening.

Should Azusa Pacific sweep Monday's doubleheader at the Cougar Baseball Complex, they would clinched the PacWest title. In Friday's win the Cougars banged out 12 hits as they overcame an early deficit to keep their title hopes alive.

California Baptist jumped out to a 7-0 lead after the first two innings using the long ball. Ryan Williams started the deep fly exhibition with a one-out, three-run shot in the opening frame. Mark Sanchez led off the second inning by taking the first pitch he saw deep over the right field wall then Stephen Lohr tacked on a three-run shot four batters later.

Despite that early hole the Cougars (30-19, 25-9 PacWest) reversed their fortunes in the third inning. Adrian Tovalin and Pablo O'Connor went back-to-back for their 21st and 15th homeruns of the season respectively. A fielding error by the Lancers second baseman allowed Mitch Dergazarian to score to make the score 7-3. The Cougar rallied concluded as Michael Franco, Cam Bennett and Mychael Goudreau each produced running scoring base knocks to tie the score. All seven runs came with two-out and five on the runs were unearned.

Azusa Pacific took an 8-7 lead in the fourth stanza as Justin Gomez scored on a Steven Garrett single and a bobble by the left fielder. Tovalin gave Azusa Pacific a two-run edge with a fifth inning RBI single which allowed Bennett to score from second base with two outs.

The Lancers got their eighth run in the fifth inning when Sanchez lift a fly ball to centerfield that was deep enough to allow Antonio Chavarria to score from third base. For the first time in the game, neither team scored in the inning as both team put a zero on the scoreboard in the sixth. That held true again in the seventh but not without some tension. California Baptist (37-11, 27-7) had runners on first and third with one-out but Dillion Miyashiro got Tyler Johnson to ground into an inning ending double play.

On a throwing error by the pitcher, Gomez crossed the plate and the Cougars extended their lead to 10-8 in the eighth inning. Rene Reyes extended the lead with a RBI single which scored pinch runner Grant Gamble. The Lancers were able to narrow their gap with a solo homerun from A.J. David. In the ninth Sheldon Borson nearly tied the game with an RBI double high of the rightfield wall with two outs.

The "Johnny Whole Staff" approach for the Cougars suited them fine as they used nine pitchers. Hayden Jorgenson earned the win by pitching 1.1 innings to up his record to 2-0. Sanford worked in-then-out of trouble in the ninth inning for his seventh save of the season.

The offense was led by a host of players. Bennett and Tovalin each had two hits and two RBI while Gomez scored a team best three runs.