AZUSA, Calif. – The Azusa Pacific softball team worked overtime to split their final home doubleheader of the season with Biola, winning the first game 3-2 in extra innings before dropping a 7-6 decision in the nightcap.
Game 1: Azusa Pacific 3, Biola 2 (8 innings)
The opening game was a pitcher's duel through the early innings, as
Liz Phillips threw four scoreless frames while her Biola counterpart Paige Austin matched her for the first three.
Brielle Fraijo led off the fourth with a single. Following a walk, the Cougars would score on a failed bunt attempt when an errant throw down to second skipped into the outfield, allowing Fraijo to score from second.
Becca Jewett would knock in another run with a two-out single, giving the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Biola would tie things up in the sixth, sending the game into extra innings. After
Katie Korstrom threw a scoreless eighth inning, the Cougars bats came to life again.
Amanda Woods led off the inning with a double down the left field line, and
Dani Burghardt would drive her in three batters later with a single up the middle. Woods had a pair of hits to lead the team offensively, while Korstrom threw the final four innings to get the victory.
Game 2: Biola 7, Azusa Pacific 6
Game two was a three-hour marathon battle where the Cougars found themselves having to answer Biola's offense repeatedly. The Eagles struck first in the opening inning, but the Cougars would return the favor, with Jewett driving in her second run of the doubleheader with a two-out single. The real damage came in the third inning when Biola put three runs on the board to take a 4-1 advantage.
Aly Montesino and Burghardt would come through with back-to-back doubles to get one run back, but the Cougars would leave the bases loaded without drawing closer. Biola would double their advantage with a pair of runs in the fifth inning, but the Cougars would answer with two of their own on another Jewett single, cutting the gap to 6-4. The Eagles would put one more on the board via a throwing error in the sixth. Azusa Pacific would narrow the deficit once more in the bottom half of the inning, as Burghardt drove in another run with a groundout, and then Montesino would score on a wild pitch, but the Cougars would leave the potential tying run at second base to end each of the final two innings.
Inside the Numbers: Jewett had a 3-7 day at the plate over the course of the doubleheader, driving in four runs to take the team lead with 27 on the season.
Carley Gay stole a base in each game, giving her eight for the season. Montesino went 3-6 with a pair of walks on the day, raising her batting average to .420 and her on-base percentage to .510.
Up Next: The Cougars will wrap up their 12-game season series with Biola Saturday at noon in La Mirada. The teams have split the season series evenly so far, with each side winning five games.
