LAS VEGAS -- Azusa Pacific dropped two games on the first day of the Desert Stinger Tournament in Las Vegas. In the first game of the 2019 season, the Cougars lost 10-5 to San Francisco State before a narrow 3-2 defeat to No. 7-ranked Chico State.

San Francisco State 10, Azusa Pacific 5
 
Through the first five innings, the Cougars battled and had chances to open the 2019 season with a win; however, the San Francisco State bats came alive in the top of the sixth.
 
Neither offense was able to get a run across the plate through the first two innings. In the top of the first, senior pitcher Racqual Espinoza was able to get out of trouble and strand two Gator baserunners. In the bottom of the first, the Cougars had a lone opportunity when senior Melanie Abzun was walked with two outs, but Azusa Pacific was unable to get her home. In the second inning, there was a lone baserunner when the top of the first opened with a walk drawn by Gator outfielder Andrea Hildan. Hildan was later caught stealing for the second out of the inning. The bottom half of the inning went quick, with Azusa Pacific going down 1-2-3.
 
The scoring opened in the third inning, as the Gators struck first in the top half of the inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the inning, when junior Brielle Fraijo reached on a fielder's choice, scoring junior Emily Moran who hit a double earlier in the inning.
 
Azusa Pacific broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth, when junior Daniella Toschi hit a two-run home run, which gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead. San Francisco State answered quickly in the top of the fifth, as the Gators scored four runs on five hits, and jumped out to a 5-3 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, the Cougars brought the game back to a 5-5 tie, off of an RBI double by Espinoza, as well as a passed ball that scored freshman Ashley Kincaid.
 
The tie did not last long, as the Gators scored four runs off of just two hits in the top of the sixth, giving them a 9-5 lead. Azusa Pacific used three different pitchers in the inning, as freshman Jahzell Estrada replaced Espinoza, with junior Kat Ung replacing Estrada to close out the sixth. San Francisco State added one more run in the seventh.
 
San Francisco State pitcher Natalie Minteer picked up her first win of the season, as she went 4.1 innings, giving up five earned runs. For Azusa Pacific, Espinoza pitched 5.2 innings, allowing eight earned runs while striking out two. Estrada walked three and gave up an earned run, while Ung finished the game in the circle, throwing 1.1 innings.
 
#7 Chico State 3, Azusa Pacific 2
 
Despite falling behind Chico State 3-0, the Cougars made a push for an upset on the first day of the new season. In the bottom of the first inning, Chico State's Kristin Worley reached base on a one-out single. Worley moved into scoring position without a ball being put in play, as she stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. With runners at the corners following a walk, Bailey Akins grounded into a fielder's choice to score Worley and give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead.
 
Ung faced minimal stress in the second and third innings, as she allowed just one baserunner over the two frames. However, trouble came in the bottom of the fourth. Ung recorded two quick outs, forcing a ground out and a fly out. She would have been out of the inning in order, however, a fielding error allowed Chico State's Brooke Larsen to reach base and keep the inning alive for the Wildcats. The next hitter, Reilani Peleti, singled up the middle and moved Larsen to second base. With two runners on, Angel Lopez tripled to center, pushing across Peleti and Larsen, giving Chico State a 3-0 lead.
 
In the next half inning, the Cougar offense showed a bit of life. With two outs in the inning, junior Emily Moran came to the plate for Azusa Pacific. On the second pitch of Moran's at-bat, she connected and sent it over the center field wall, cutting the deficit down to 3-1.
 
Ung kept the Cougars in the game over the next two innings, holding Chico State to just one hit and keeping the deficit at two runs. In the top of the seventh inning, Azusa Pacific brought the go-ahead run to the plate. Junior Jenna Gorman led off the inning for the Cougars with a five-pitch walk. Following back-to-back strikeouts, the Cougars were down to their final out. Moran came to the plate as the tying run, and drew a six-pitch walk that put runners at first and second. Senior Cayla Broussard stepped into the batter's box as the go-ahead run. With a 1-2 count, Broussard kept the game alive with an RBI single down the left field line, scoring freshman pinch runner Olivia Smith and moving Moran to second. With the score 3-2, Azusa Pacific had the tying run in scoring position. Junior Megan Tucker was called upon to pinch hit and keep the rally alive. Down 1-2 in the count, Tucker popped out to shortstop to end the game.
 
Ung pitched all six innings for the Cougars, surrendering just four hits and three runs (one earned run), while striking out four. Offensively, Azusa Pacific had five hits. Broussard finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Moran went 1-for-2 with the solo home run and a walk. Sophomore Becca Jewett and sophomore Amanda Woods both went 1-for-3.
 
Up Next: The Cougars are scheduled for three games Saturday at the Desert Stinger, taking on Cal State Monterey Bay at 11:30 a.m., Colorado Christian at 2:00 p.m., and Cal State San Bernardino at 7:00 p.m.