SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Azusa Pacific travelled down to #9 UC San Diego, winning both games in Wednesday's doubleheader. The Cougars took game one by a 2-1 final, and then ended the day with an 8-2 win.
 
Game One: Azusa Pacific 2, #9 UC San Diego 1
 
The senior duo of Melanie Abzun and Racqual Espinoza came up big for the Cougars in game number one. In the top of the first inning, Abzun hit a two-run homerun that proved to be all the offense the Cougars would have in the first game. However, with Espinoza in the circle, it was all the offense Azusa Pacific would need.
 
Espinoza threw a complete game, as she went seven innings without surrendering an earned run, while limiting the Tritons to just three hits, and striking out three batters. Espinoza improved to 9-6 on the year.
 
While Abzun provided all of the run production in the game, sophomore Amanda Woods and freshman Dani Burghardt each had a solid offensive game. Woods finished 2-for-3, while Burghardt went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
 
Game Two: Azusa Pacific 8. #9 UC San Diego 2
 
In the second game of the day, Azusa Pacific continued its dominance in the circle, while the Cougar bats came alive. For the second straight game, the Cougars received a complete game effort from their starting pitcher, as junior Kat Ung went seven innings, without allowing an earned run, while only allowing three hits. Following a two-run first inning for the Tritons, Ung did not allow another run for UC San Diego over the final six innings of the ballgame.
 
Down 2-0 heading into the top of the third inning, Azusa Pacific came to life offensively. Abzun tied the game up at 2-2, when she singled home senior Cayla Broussard and junior Daniella Toschi. Following a scoreless bottom of the third inning for the Tritons, Azusa Pacific stormed ahead with four runs in the top of the fourth.
 
In the top of the fourth, Toschi doubled to right center with one out. Broussard promptly moved Toschi to third with a one out single, and then freshman Olivia Smith drove Toschi home on an RBI single. Broussard eventually came around to score the second run of the inning off of a wild pitch. With Smith on third base, Burghardt came to the plate with one out and tripled down the left field line to score Smith and give the Cougars a 5-2 lead. Burghardt would cross the plate in the ensuing Azusa Pacific at-bat, as Abzun hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-2.
 
The Cougars would add insurance in the top of the fifth, as Toschi launched a ball over the left field wall for a two-run homerun to extend Azusa Pacific's lead to 8-2.
 
Offensively, Burghardt, Abzun and Toschi led the way. Toschi finished 2-for-3, with two RBIs, three runs scored, and her fourth homerun of the season. Burghardt was a perfect 3-for-3, including two triples, an RBI, and a run scored. Abzun led the Cougars with three RBIs in the game.
 
Up Next: Following Wednesday's non-conference upset, Azusa Pacific returns to PacWest play. The Cougars will be back on the road, as the Cougars will play five doubleheaders in five consecutive days. Azusa Pacific will start with a doubleheader against Holy Names on Friday, April 12, starting at 1:00 p.m.