AZUSA, Calif. — Azusa Pacific baseball beat the Concordia Eagles in a non-conference matchup Tuesday night 5-0, recording its second shutout of the season. With the victory the Cougars improve their record to 3-1 before heading out on the road for the first time this season. In the three wins, the Cougars have allowed just one run over 25 innings.

How it Happened:

Redshirt junior starting pitcher Declan Kearney started for the first time this season for Azusa Pacific. He delivered with a strong performance, continuing the success Cougar starters have had thus far this season. Kearney tossed three hitless innings, striking out four. Through the first four games, the Cougars starting pitchers have thrown 17 total innings, allowing just one run while striking out 17.

The Cougars didn't get the offense going until the fourth inning. Junior outfielder Casey Dykstra led off the inning with a single, then junior infielder Osvaldo Tovalin doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. Dykstra would score on a wild pitch to take the 1-0 lead before sophomore infielder Tido Robles doubled in Tovalin, doubling the lead. 

After senior Nick Estrella walked, back-to-back wild pitches scored Robles before two more walks loaded the bases again for true freshman Jeffery Castillo looking to add to the Cougars 3-0 advantage. Castillo then singled to right center field, for his first collegiate hit before he was thrown out at second base trying to extend the single into a double. Two runs would score on the play however, as the Cougars produce five runs in the inning. 

The Cougars bullpen shined bright in the game recording the final 18 outs after Kearney's start ended after three. Senior reliever Tripp Aversa was the first out of the pen throwing two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and fanning four. Next up was redshirt sophomore Mike Snyder who was impressive in his 2.2 scoreless innings, inducing four straight groundouts to start his outing. Senior sidewinder Spiro Valasakos inherited a bases loaded, two-out jam and needed just two pitches to record the final out of the eighth.

Valasakos allowed the first three to reach in the ninth before freshman Korey Shepard slammed the door shut. Shepard, who threw two scoreless in the first series, got the first batter he faced to fly out to shallow right field before striking out the final two of the game picking up his first ever collegiate save. 

Azusa Pacific will have a quick turnaround as they travel and play Cal State Monterey Bay in the first of a four-game series this Thursday, February 6th. The two teams will also play at 5 p.m. on Friday before finishing off the series with a doubleheader on Saturday with the first game starting at 11 a.m. 

Inside the Boxscore:

Casey Dykstra and Tido Robles each recorded two hits, Dykstra had two singles to center field, while Robles had two doubles to left field. 

The Cougars struck out a total of 11 Concordia batters which is a season high.