AZUSA, Calif. -- Carly Xepoleas tossed a four-hit shutout in Azusa Pacific's 4-0 victory over Biola in its home softball opener, but the Cougars couldn't complete the sweep after leaving nine runners on base in a 4-3 defeat in the second game.
Kayla Jimenez continued her hot start to the season from the cleanup spot, collecting three hits in seven at-bats including her fourth extra-base hit of the season, and Abry Moreno was two-for-five with a three-run, two-out double that gave Azusa Pacific all the scoring it needed in the 4-0 victory in the opener.
With the split, Azusa Pacific is now 5-2 overall with over a week off until its next games on Saturday, Feb. 18, at UC San Diego. Biola is now 2-3-1 on the season.
GAME 1: Azusa Pacific 4, Biola 0
Xepoleas struck out eight Biola hitters without issuing a walk in her complete-game four-hit shutout in the opener, and the Eagles never got a runner in scoring position with less than two outs against Xepoleas.
Maranda Galindo collected three of Biola's four hits, including a two-out sixth-inning triple, but Xepoleas kept the Eagles off the scoreboard by inducing an inning-ending groundout. Two of the four hits off the senior southpaw were erased by catcher Jenna Gorman, who threw out two-of-three steal attempts.
Offensively, Azusa Pacific produced all of its scoring in the bottom of the second inning, drawing three walks to load the bases with two outs before Moreno doubled into the gap in right-center to clear the bases and give the Cougars a three-run lead. Moreno advanced to third on an Illiana Jimenez bunt single and scored on a throwing error on the play.
GAME 2: Biola 4, Azusa Pacific 3
Freshman Jenna Gorman put Azusa Pacific on the scoreboard in the first inning of the nightcap with a bases-loaded single, and Nicki Sprague scored on an error later in the frame to give the Cougars an early 2-0 lead. However, Biola snapped out of its scoring drought with a four-run third inning, and the Cougars didn't respond until scoring a single run in the sixth inning to cut the Eagles' lead to 4-3.
Emily Moran hit a one-out double in the sixth inning to help push Mia Wyatt all the way around the bases from first base to trim the deficit to 4-3. Cayla Broussard and Sprague led off the inning with walks, but Kimmy Triolo retired the next three batters to preserve the win for Biola. Triolo, who was charged with the loss in the first game, threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to earn the save for the Eagles.
Broussard and Kayla Jimenez teamed up to lead the Cougars offensively, tallying two hits each while Broussard also reached on a walk and stole two bases. Megan Mejia and Kat Ung combined to blank the Eagles over the final 4.1 innings.
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