AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific got a reminder of just how tough the competition in the Southern California pod is this season, as they dropped both games of a doubleheader against 10th-ranked Concordia Friday evening at the Cougar Softball Complex, 3-1 and 6-2.

Game 1: Concordia 3, Azusa Pacific 1

The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out RBI single.  Azusa Pacific had a chance to pull even or ahead in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with two out, but were unable to get the same timely hit.  In the fourth inning, the same story played itself out:  Concordia drove in a run with two outs, while the Cougars this time got a runner to third base with only one out but could not bring her in.  The Cougars finally scored in the sixth inning when Annie Gutierrez drove in Maddi Hamilton with a pinch-hit double, but the Eagles would retire the final four batters of the game while adding an unearned insurance run in the seventh – again with two outs – to preserve the victory.  Liz Phillips scattered nine hits over six innings of work with four strikeouts in a losing effort, while Dani Burghardt had two hits including a double in the fourth.

Game 2: Concordia 6, Azusa Pacific 2

Concordia again took an early lead, this time having a 2-0 advantage going into the bottom of the third inning.  Azusa Pacific would scratch a run across in the third without the benefit of a hit, as Erica Hanson reached on an error to start the inning, then stole second base and scored when the throw from the catcher sailed into center field.  The game would stay 2-1 until the sixth inning, when Concordia plated two runs on consecutive one-out hits.  Azusa Pacific would answer with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning as Aly Montesino and Becca Jewett had back-to-back doubles.  But the Cougars would not get any closer, and Concordia would tack on another pair of runs in the seventh.  The Cougars had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but made a pair of baserunning errors on the final play of the game to snuff out a potential rally.  Brielle Fraijo and Ally Chin each had a pair of hits in game two for the Cougars.

Up Next:  Azusa Pacific (8-4, 3-3 PacWest SoCal pod) will play a doubleheader in Irvine against Concordia Saturday starting at 12:00 p.m.  The live video feed and statistics can be found HERE.