AZUSA, Calif. - Azusa Pacific opened its four-game home series against No. 4 Colorado Mesa on Thursday afternoon, and the Mavericks claimed a lopsided 28-4 win in game one.
Colorado Mesa brought at least one run across the plate in seven out of nine innings, including four innings in which the Mavericks posted a crooked number. In the top of the seventh inning, the Mavericks nearly hit through their lineup twice, scoring 12 runs on eight hits and four walks. Overall, Colorado Mesa hit a total of six home runs in the game, scoring 16 of its runs via the long ball.
Azusa Pacific's four runs came via three runs in the bottom of the third inning, and one run in the sixth. In the third inning, with the Cougars trailing 6-0, Brett Soria led off with a single to center field. A few batters later, Aaron Roose also singled to center field to put runners on first and second with one away. Casey O'Laughlin then stepped to the plate, and on the first pitch that he saw, he launched a ball to right center field for a three-run homerun to cut the deficit in half to 6-3. The long ball is O'Laughlin's first home run as a Cougar.
The Cougars' fourth run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth, when Will Stroud led off the inning by drawing a walk, and he was eventually brought in to score on a two-out double by Soria.
Soria finished the game 3-for-3, and Omar Lopez also reached base on three occasions with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate that included a double.
Two different players had six RBI for Colorado Mesa, as Harrison Rodgers was a perfect 4-for-4 with three home runs, and Caleb Farmer finished 3-for-4 with two dingers.
Ryan Day was the winning pitcher in the contest, surrendering just three earned runs over five innings of work, while A.J. Woodall took the loss following three innings pitched.
Up Next: The two teams will be right back at it tomorrow in Azusa, with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 2:00 pm. Game one of the doubleheader will be scheduled for nine innings, while game two will be a seven-inning affair. If you are unable to make it out to the Cougar Baseball Complex, you can stream the games for free on the Azusa Pacific Athletics Network, and follow along with live stats.
