AZUSA, Calif. -- Junior righthander Isaiah Carranza spun his most impressive game of the season, striking out 10 in a complete-game three-hit shutout to lead Azusa Pacific to a 9-0 win over Academy of Art Thursday evening in the series opener.
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improved to 21-2 overall and 11-2 in Pacific West Conference play, while Academy of Art's six-game win streak was halted as the Urban Knights dropped to 12-10 overall and 7-6 PacWest.
Carranza retired 16 of the first 17 batters before Taj Dawson chopped a slow roller down the third-base line, where it rolled to a stop in fair territory for a one-out infield single in the top of the sixth inning. On the very next pitch, Carranza induced a double-play groundout to get out of the inning unscathed. An inning later, with runners at first and second with one out after a walk and an error on another slow roller in front of the plate, Carranza induced another double-play ball to finish off the inning.
Carranza saved his best for last, recording the last out of the eighth as well as all three of his outs in the final frame via strikeout to finish with double-digit strikeouts in a game for the second time this season.
How It Happened: Each of the first four Cougar batters collected hits off Academy of Art starter Luke Lacy, leading Azusa Pacific to an early lead with three runs in the first inning. In the second, the Cougars collected three hits and scored another pair of runs to extend the lead to 5-0. Both runs scored on a Mychael Goudreau sacrifice fly, as a pair of errors allowed Grant Gamble to go all the way around from first base to score.
Goudreau drove in another run in the fourth with a two-out single to left-center, extending the lead to 6-0, and Tim Lichty wrapped up the scoring with a three-run home run to left field in the top of the fifth inning.
Schedule Change: The teams will begin Friday's doubleheader at noon, which is two hours earlier than originally scheduled, due to expected rain in the forecast Friday evening.
Inside The Box Score: In three starts at home this season, Carranza has held opposing hitters to a .139 average, recording 33 strikeouts in 23 innings for a 0.39 ERA.
Goudreau went 3-for-4 to lead the offense, raising his season batting average to .267, and Lichty and Justin Gomez collected two hits each to help lead the Cougars' 13-hit attack.
Austin Russ was 1-for-2 with a walk and hit by pitch, and he is now batting .517 (15-for-29) in conference play.
Carranza's complete-game win was Azusa Pacific's third shutout of the season, and its second in the past three games.
All nine Azusa Pacific starters reached base safely in the game.
Gomez collected his first stolen base of the season and the second of his career, swiping second base with two outs in the second inning.
What's Next: Azusa Pacific hosts Academy of Art in a Friday doubleheader at noon before the four-game series concludes with a single game at noon on Saturday, March 17.
