AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific split a Thursday night doubleheader with rival Biola, as the Cougars lost game one by a 1-0 final in eight innings, and then bounced back with a 4-3 win in the second game of the night. The games were followed by a celebration of four Cougar seniors, as Melanie Abzun, Cayla Broussard, Racqual Espinoza, and Megan Mejia all played their final games at the Cougar Softball Complex. Broussard and Mejia have been four-year members of the Cougar program, as both athletes came to Azusa Pacific right out of high school and have been key pieces to the Cougars' success over their time here. Abzun and Espinoza both transferred in to Azusa Pacific by way of junior college, and they have had an immediate impact since stepping onto campus before their junior seasons.
 
Game One: Biola 1, Azusa Pacific 0
 
Game one was a pitching duel between Azusa Pacific junior Kat Ung, and Biola's Paige Austin. Both Ung and Austin posted dominant innings, while also dancing out of trouble that kept the game scoreless through seven innings. Biola would finally break the scoreless tie in the top of the eighth inning, when Missy Potti came through with an RBI single that would prove to be all that the Eagles needed to take the win. Potti's single was just the fourth hit that Ung surrendered in the ball game.
 
On the game, Ung threw eight innings and did not surrender an earned run, while walking five hitters and striking out two batters. For Biola, Austin also went eight innings, allowing five hits and striking out 10 Cougar hitters.
 
Of Azusa Pacific's five hits, three of them were doubles, as senior Melanie Abzun, sophomore Amanda Woods and sophomore Becca Jewett each had one in the game. Jewett finished the game 2-for-3, as she was the only Cougar with a multi-hit game.
 
Game Two: Azusa Pacific 4, Biola 3
 
After being held scoreless in game one, the Cougar offense got onto the scoreboard quickly in game two. In the bottom of the first inning, the first three Cougars that came to the plate had a hit. Senior Cayla Broussard led off the inning with a single, and junior Brielle Fraijo followed with a single as well, which put runners on first and second with no outs. Abzun was third to the plate in the inning, as she drove both Broussard and Fraijo across the plate with a triple to right center that put Azusa Pacific up 2-0.
 
The Cougars would extend the lead in the bottom of the second, as Jewett led off with a single, and then junior Daniella Toschi hit a double that put runners at second and third with no outs. Junior Jenna Gorman came to the plate, and she put the Cougars up 3-0 with a sacrifice fly that scored Jewett.
 
The game would remain 3-0 over the third and fourth innings, however, Biola cut the lead down to 3-1 with a run in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half of the inning, the Cougars would push the lead right back up to three, as Abzun fittingly had a solo home run on Senior Night, as Azusa Pacific went up 4-1. Abzun's home run would prove to be the game winner, as Biola would score one run in the sixth and then one more in the seventh, however, the Cougars needed a big play in the top of the seventh to get the win.
 
With the score 4-3, Biola's Tori Apodaca came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Apodaca worked her way into a 3-1 count, which put the pressure on Cougar reliever Megan Mejia to avoid walking home the tying run. Mejia put the ball in the strike zone on the ensuing pitch, and Apodaca put a swing on the ball that lofted it into center field toward Brielle Fraijo. The runner on third for Biola tagged up, and took off for home once Fraijo caught. Fraijo immediately fired the ball towards home, and placed it perfectly for Jenna Gorman to field the throw and slap the tag down on the runner for the final out of the ball game. Fraijo's assist is the second time this season in which she has ended a game by throwing out the game-tying run for Biola at the plate, as she did it in game one of a doubleheader at Biola on April 6, which ended in a 1-0 Azusa Pacific game.
 
In the victory, Azusa Pacific used two senior pitchers. Espinoza started the game and earned the win, as she went six innings and allowing just two earned runs. Mejia came on to close out the game in the seventh, as she claimed the save.
 
Azusa Pacific finished the game with seven hits, led by Abzun's 2-for-3 performance with three RBIs and one run scored. Fraijo also had a multi-hit game for the Cougars, as she also finished 2-for-3.
 
Up Next: The regular season has come to a close for Azusa Pacific, and the Cougars finished 31-17 overall. The Cougars now must await news of whether or not they will receive a bid to the NCAA Division II West Region Tournament. The regional is an eight team tournament, and as of the latest rankings, the Cougars were in the seventh spot. The announcement for the eight team field will be on Monday, April 6, at 7:00 a.m.