AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific split the opening doubleheader of a four-game nonconference series with Colorado Christian Friday afternoon, answering an 8-5 defeat in the opener with a 15-6 win in the nightcap.

How It Happened (Game 1): In the first game, James Acuña started on the hill and produced his longest outing of the season. Acuña tossed six innings and struck out five while giving up four hits and three earned runs. All three earned runs came on a three-run home run in the first inning, after which Acuña threw 5.1 scoreless innings. Colorado Christian threatened to score with runners on first and third with no outs in the top of the fourth inning, but Acuña was dealt his way out of trouble. The first out came on a popped up bunt, then Acuña got a critical strikeout on three pitches for the second out before getting a ground ball out to end the threat. Acuña then retired the final six batters he faced to end his day.

Azusa Pacific broke through offensively with Griffen Herrera's two-run home run to left field in the fourth inning, cutting the lead to 3-2. That was as close as the Cougars got the rest of the game, as Colorado Christian extended the lead to 7-2 until Joe Quire Jr.'s eighth-inning RBI single.

Colorado Christian scored once more in the top of the ninth before Will Stroud got his first hit and RBI in his first collegiate at-bat, hitting a run-scoring double down the first base line, which cut the lead to 8-4. Justin Gomez plated another run with an RBI groundout, but the rally ended there with Colorado Christian claiming an 8-5 win.

How It Happened (Game 2): In the second game, Azusa Pacific jumped out to the early lead in the first inning on an Austin Russ sacrifice fly. Mychael Goudreau added a two-out RBI triple later in the inning to increase Azusa Pacific's lead to 3-0. Goudreau had himself a day at the plate in the second game, going 5-for-5 with three extra-base hits and 5 RBIs, and he was only a homerun shy of hitting for the cycle. Goudreau had an RBI double in the fifth inning before adding a two-run RBI single in the sixth to increase the Cougars' lead to 8-1.

Nick Estrella was impressive in his third start of the season, pitching seven innings with a season-high five strikeouts without issuing a walk. Estrella allowed three earned runs on eight hits in the longest outing for an Azusa Pacific pitcher this season.

Osvaldo Tovalin went 3-for-5 and hit his first homerun of the season, while Joseph Kim went 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and a walk. Jacob Nemeth pinch-hit for the first time this season and lined an RBI double down the left field line late in the game. Redshirt freshman Evan Banks tallied his first hit of the season off the bench with a two-run home run in the eighth inning to top off the 15-6 victory.

What's Next: The four-game series concludes with a doubleheader (two 7-inning games) beginning at 9:00 a.m.