AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific nearly stole a game it never led, going to its final strike in the bottom of the ninth to complete a rally from four runs down before eventually falling to California Baptist, 7-4, in a 15-inning marathon which opened the 2018 NCAA Division II Baseball West Regional Tournament Thursday afternoon.
Griffen Herrera delivered the game-tying hit after falling behind in the count, 0-2, driving in Casey Dykstra from second base to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings. After both teams kept the score knotted at 4-4 with five scoreless innings, CBU took the lead on a Rory Smith two-out double to left-center, as Harrison Spohn scored on a very close play at the plate to give the Lancers a 5-4 edge.
Two more Lancer hits plated a pair of insurance runs for the final 7-4 margin, and Justin Montgomery finished off four scoreless innings of relief with a perfect 15th to secure the victory.
What It Means: Azusa Pacific falls to 39-10 overall, and the No. 2-seeded Cougars face elimination the rest of the way in the six-team, double-elimination tournament. California Baptist, the No. 5-seed, advances to the winner's bracket where it will take on the winner of Thursday night's matchup between No. 3-seeded UC San Diego and No. 4-seeded Point Loma.
How It Happened (Game 1): After spotting CBU a four-run lead on two first-inning runs and single runs in the fourth and sixth, Azusa Pacific slashed the lead in half on Osvaldo Tovalin's two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
Three innings later, Azusa Pacific loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, trading the first out for a run on a fielder's choice groundout. Matt Amrhein struck out Pablo O'Connor for the second out, setting up Herrera's dramatic game-tying single which scored Dykstra from second base.
Dylan Stowell went into the eighth inning for California Baptist, surrendering just two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts, but his quality start was overshadowed by outstanding performances in relief from both bullpens. Spiro Valasakos fired 5.2 innings of hitless relief to keep the Cougars alive into the extra frames, and Tripp Aversa tossed 2.2 scoreless before CBU got all three runs with two outs in the 15th.
For California Baptist, Chris Burica gave up Herrera's game-tying single but set down the next seven batters before turning the game over to Justin Montgomery, who picked up the win with a four-inning, seven-strikeout relief performance.
What's Next: The Cougars return to action in an elimination game Friday at 11:00 a.m. against the loser of the matchup between No. 1-seed Cal State Monterey Bay and No. 6-seed Chico State.
Inside The Box Score: Tovalin was the only Azusa Pacific hitter with multiple hits, collecting two of the Cougars' six hits in the game… CBU collected 13 hits with five players collecting multiple hits, led by John Glenn's 3-for-6 effort… The Cougars turned a pair of double plays, including a crucial twin killing with the bases loaded in the 14th inning when Joseph Quire, Jr. attempted a tag on a CBU baserunner who was called out for running out of the baseline to evade the tag before Quire flipped it to first for the double play… Valasakos' outing was the second time this season he has had an appearance lasting over four innings without giving up a hit.
Postgame Press Conference
Video Highlights
