AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific's softball team opened conference play with a wild doubleheader against preseason favorite Concordia, falling 8-6 in the opener before ending up on the wrong end of a 1-0 score line in game two.

Game 1: Concordia 8, Azusa Pacific 6
Azusa Pacific opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning.  Amands Woods hit a one-out triple to left center to plate Brielle Fraijo, then scored on a wild pitch to stake the Cougars to a 2-0 lead.  They would double that advantage in the second inning with a pair of two-out hits, Erica Moran singling in Madison Salgado to force a pitching change, and then Fraijo singling in Olivia Smith to give the home team a 4-0 edge.

That lead would not last even one inning, as Concordia exploded for six runs in the top of the third, starting with a solo home run and aided by a pair of Cougar errors.  Five of Concordia's six runs in the inning came with two out.  Azusa Pacific would tie it back up in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run, two-out triple by Woods.

Woods would make a game-saving play in the top of the sixth, grabbing a line drive off the bat of Mackenzie Graham with the bases loaded and one out to preserve the tie.  Kat Ung then calmly got the next batter to ground out to third, ending the threat.  In the bottom half of the inning, controversy erupted when Concordia's shortstop dropped a soft line drive with the bases loaded, turning a double play without triggering the infield fly rule. 

The game would remain tied going to the seventh, where Concordia would get a two-run single from leadoff hitter Megan Massa to provide the winning margin.  Woods had a pair of triples and 3 RBI, while Fraijo had a 3-4 game and two runs to lead the Cougars.

Game 2: Concordia 1, Azusa Pacific 0
Game two was a much more defensive affair, with both pitchers trading zeros on the scoreboard.  Elizabeth Phillips worked her way into and out of jams throughout the early innings, keeping the game scoreless despite issuing six walks over the first three frames and escaping bases loaded situations in both the third and fourth innings unscathed.

The game would remain scoreless until the top of the sixth inning, when Concordia got a Sydni Dix pinch-hit single, stolen base, followed by an RBI double by Massa, all with two out.  The Cougars would get the tying run to second base in the seventh inning, but could not get anything going against a masterful outing by Concordia pitcher Jordan Quinn, who held the Cougars to just one hit and four walks in a complete game effort.

The Cougars are now 4-7 on the season, 0-2 in PacWest play, and will embark on a 12-game, 9-day road trip to Hawai'i before their next home game on March 10 against Dominican.