AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific clinched a spot in the NCAA Division II West Regional for the fifth time in the past six postseasons Saturday with a sweep of Academy of Art and Hawai`i Hilo in the Pacific West Conference Automatic Qualifier Pod Series.
 
The Cougars, who are ranked 15<sup>th</sup> in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll and 17<sup>th</sup> in the NCBWA rankings, clinched the PacWest's automatic bid into the Division II West Regional playoffs with a 9-0 win in Saturday's opener against Academy of Art. Azusa Pacific followed it with an exclamation point, posting a 9-2 win over Hawai`i Hilo to wrap up a perfect 4-0 record in the PacWest AQ Pod Series.
 
The Cougars' potent offense, which ranks second in Division II in home runs, went deep four times in the opening-game win over Academy of Art and added another in the nightcap, a 3-run blast from Nick Estrella, to punctuate the three-day, four-game sweep of Azusa Pacific's PacWest opponents.
 
With the sweep, Azusa Pacific advances into the postseason with a 33-8 overall record.
 
How It Happened (Game 1): Azusa Pacific 9, Academy of Art 0
 
The Cougars completed the two-game sweep of Academy of Art with a 9-0 win in Saturday's opener. After plating 8 runs in the first inning in Thursday's matchup with the Urban Knights, Azusa Pacific produced another early outburst backed with 6 runs in the opening frame to hand starting pitcher Brendan Dixon a big early lead.
 
Dixon and the Cougar pitching staff backed up the offense with an outstanding performance, as the southpaw starter surrendered just 3 hits in 5.1 shutout innings. David Hays followed with 2.2 innings of shutout relief, registering 6 strikeouts without allowing a hit, and Korey Shepard finished off the Cougars' fifth shutout of the season with a scoreless ninth.
 
Azusa Pacific sent 9 batters to the plate in the top of the first and scored all 6 runs from 3 swings, as Evan Banks smashed a 3-run home run to left to open the scoring. Spencer Rasmussen added a 2-run shot over the nets in right field before Casey Dykstra added a solo shot down the right field line to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead.
 
Omar Lopez added an opposite-field home run with 2 outs in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 7-0, and Brett Soria and Osvaldo Tovalin added sacrifice flies in the sixth and ninth innings, respectively, for the final 9-0 margin.


How It Happened (Game 2): Azusa Pacific 9, Hawai`i Hilo 2
 
After two scoreless innings to start the final contest of the three-day PacWest AQ Pod Series, UHH put runners at first and third with no outs in the top of the third inning. However, Cougar starting pitcher Isaac Mendez limited the Vulcans to just a single run in the frame before Estrella answered with an impressive 2-out, 2-run blast to straightaway center in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Daniel Genna added an RBI single in the fourth inning, and Azusa Pacific exploded for another 6-run frame in the fifth inning. The Cougars sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, with Estrella and Genna each producing RBI doubles while Tido Robles, Jeffery Castillo, and Cade Marshman added run-scoring singles to extend the lead to 9-1.
 
After Mendez delivered 3 innings in the start, the Cougar bullpen did not allow an earned run the rest of the way. Hayden Merda threw 2 shutout frames and earned the victory, while Declan Kearney, Joshua Lambert, Shane Cronin, and Casey Dykstra each turned in an inning to close out the win.
 
Inside The Box Score: Azusa Pacific posted its fifth shutout of the season, its first since a 14-0 win over Biola on April 9… Osvaldo Tovalin, Omar Lopez, and Casey Dykstra each collected 2 hits in the opener, while Nick Estrella and Daniel Genna each had 2 hits in the second game… It was Tovalin's 23^rd multi-hit game and the 17^th multi-hit game for Lopez… Spencer Rasmussen's 2-run home run against Academy of Art was his fourth home run of the PacWest AQ Pod Series, and he has homered in four consecutive games… Omar Lopez and Casey Dykstra each hit their 10^th home run of the season, giving the Cougars four players with double-digit home runs this season… Azusa Pacific ranks second in Division II in home runs with 99.
 
Up Next: After clinching the PacWest's automatic bid into the NCAA West Regional, Azusa Pacific awaits the official NCAA Division II selection and seeding announcement on Sunday, May 23, at 7:00 p.m. The regional rounds of the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship will take place May 27-30.