AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific swept its doubleheader with Saint Katherine on Tuesday evening, opening with a 9-1 win in five innings, and then claiming the second contest by a 10-3 final. The Cougars finished with 25 hits over the two games, and eight different players had at least one RBI on the evening. In game one, Ashley Kincaid went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a double, while Julia Olivares had a great offensive performance in the nightcap, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored on a double and a triple. 

GAME ONE: Azusa Pacific 9, Saint Katherine 1 (5 innings)

While the Firebirds were able to score in the top half of the first inning to take the quick 1-0, Azusa Pacific answered right back with four runs in the bottom of the opening frame. Amanda Woods started things off with a bunt single, and then stole second base to get in scoring position. Brielle Fraijo then singled to second base to move Woods over to third, and a throwing error from second base to first base on the same play allowed Woods to score and tie the game at 1-1. A few batters later, Aleah Delgado hit a sacrifice fly that scored Fraijo for the Cougars' second run of the inning. Next to the plate was Kincaid, who delivered a two-run double that brought Delgado and Aly Montesino (was walked earlier in the inning), across the plate for the third and fourth runs of the first. 

After a scoreless second, third and half of the fourth innings, the Cougars added five runs on seven hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth. Azusa Pacific opened the inning with back-to-back bunt singles, as Erika Hanson led off and Woods followed to put runners on first and second with no outs. The Cougars scored the first run of the fourth when Fraijo put a ball in play that ultimately resulted in an error that allowed Hanson to cross the plate safely and make it 5-1. With Woods on second and Fraijo on first, Montesino drove a ball that hit off the fence in right field for a two-RBI double to grow the Cougar lead to 7-1. Ally Chin entered the game as a pinch runner for Montesino at second, and she was promptly driven in to score off of an RBI single by Burghardt. Azusa Pacific took the 9-1 lead when Kincaid tallied her third RBI of the game with a single that plated Burghard.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Cougars turned to Liz Phillips to take over for starter Katie Korstrom in the circle. While Phillips surrendered two walks, she did not allow a run to score, which gave Azusa Pacific the mercy-rule victory in five innings. Korstrom earned her sixth win of the season (6-2), as she did not allow an earned run and only gave up three hits over four innings pitched.

GAME TWO

Just as Saint Katherine scored first in game one, the Firebirds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning by way of an unearned run against Montesino, who started the game in the circle for Azusa Pacific. 

The Cougars would respond once again, this time bringing in four runs on six hits in the second inning to surge ahead 4-1. Annie Gutierrez led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield, and Chin followed with a single to left field. Julia Olivares then stepped to the plate for the first time on the day, and she doubled to left center, allowing both Gutierrez and Chin to score. A couple batters later, Hanson hit an RBI triple to add the third run of the frame. Hanson would score herself in the Cougars' ensuing at-bat, when Carley Gay laid down a perfect bunt up the third base line that allowed Hanson to sneak past a tag attempt. Gay was also safe at first on the play for a single.

After neither side scored in the third, the Firebirds cut into the deficit in their half of the fourth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Hailey O'Rourke hit a two-run single that made it 4-3. With one out and a runner on first, Montesino was able to avoid any more damage in the inning by forcing an inning-ending double play. 

The Cougars were able to create some separation again in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits and an error. With one out, Keelie Koepp and Gutierrez both reached on singles, and Olivia Smith entered the game as a pinch runner for Gutierrez. With Koepp on second and Smith on first, Chin laid down a bunt that forced a hurried throw to first base from the Firebird third baseman. The ball got past the first baseman, allowing Koepp to score easily, and then Smith took an aggressive turn around third and seeing that the ball had still not been gathered, she broke for the plate and scored as well to make it 6-3. Azusa Pacific added one more in the inning with two outs, when Hanson legged out an infield single that brought Chin across for the Cougars' seventh run of the night cap.

The Cougars added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs on a fielding error, and then an RBI triple by Olivares made it 10-3. Not only did Olivares deliver for the Cougars at the plate in the sixth inning, but she also made a great catch to end the top half of the sixth inning. Check out her catch below: 

Montesino went five innings and earned the win for the Cougars, allowing three earned runs on three hits, striking out four batters. She is now 7-4 overall. Phillips made her second relief appearance of the doubleheader in game two, as she pitched the sixth and seventh innings without allowing any runs to score. 

By the Numbers: At the plate, the Cougars finished 25-for-52 (.481) with 14 RBI and seven extra-base hits over the two games. On the basepaths, the Cougars were a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base opportunities, and have now stolen 14 of their last 15 attempts. In the circle, Azusa Pacific's pitching staff surrendered just seven hits and 12 walks to the Firebirds.