SEASIDE, Calif.— On the back of eight extra-base hits, including four home runs, Azusa Pacific secured its first series win with an 18-16 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay Saturday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex. The series finale saw a total of 37 hits and 34 runs in what was an offensive classic that lasted over four and a half hours. With the win, Azusa Pacific improves to 5-7 overall to start the season.
The left-handed power bats came out to play today down on the coast, Casey Dykstra's two solo home runs late were big while Casey O'Laughlin and Spencer Rasmussen's long balls drove in five of the six runs in the first inning. Among others, George Christison had a pair of hits and drove in three while leadoff hitter Aaron Roose reached in five of six plate appearances and knocked in the go-ahead run in the seventh.
How it Happened: In the top of the first, the offense exploded for six runs all coming with two outs. O'Laughlin got the party started with a two-run shot to right field before an RBI single by Cade Marshman made it 3-0. Rasmussen then doubled the score with one swing, his second home run of the season was to deep right field to up the advantage to six.
The Otters responded with four in the bottom of the frame and added another in the second to make it 6-5 after two frames. The Cougars kept the pressure on in the third with a sacrifice fly from Christison and an RBI groundout from Brett Soria to make it 8-5.
Once again it was Cal State Monterey Bay that responded, this time a two-out three-run homer tied the game at 8-apiece.
The game was just getting started from there, Omar Lopez's sac fly in the fifth brought Azusa Pacific back in front 9-8. A two-RBI double from Christison in the sixth made it 11-8 before another sac fly and RBI groundout in the frame increased the advantage to five. To cap off the five-run top of the sixth frame, O'Laughlin scored on a wild pitch to give Azusa Pacific a healthy 14-8 lead.
The Otters just wouldn't go away however, a pair of RBI singles brought the score to 14-11 before a grand slam saw the Cougars relinquish the lead for the first time of the game. It was the Otters second grand slam of the series.
Turning Point: Trailing 15-14 in the seventh, Dykstra unloaded to right field to lead off the inning and tie the game at 15-apiece. The Cougars seized the momentum with a two-out Roose RBI double that scored Rasmussen for the fifth time in the game to make it 16-15. A pinch-hit double from Jeffrey Castillo scored Roose to increase the Cougars advantage to 17-15.
Chantz Powers tossed two innings and didn't allow a run to get his first collegiate victory, he's now tossed three scoreless frames and struck out three across two outings so far this year.
Dykstra then clobbered his second solo shot in the eighth to up the lead to three before he shut the door in the final two frames on the mound. Dykstra dealt with trouble in the eighth leaving a pair of runners stranded in scoring position after a pair of strikeouts to end the threat. He then struck out the side in the ninth to secure his first save of the season, securing the win for Azusa Pacific, 18-16.
By the Numbers: The Cougars offense put up a season-high in runs (18), hits (19), home runs (4), RBIs (17), doubles (4), walks (10), at-bats (43), and sac flies (3). For the first time since 2018, the Cougars had a player score five times in one game (Rasmussen). Four different bullpen arms have a save this season, four of the five wins have been worthy of a save.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific will travel to Point Loma to open PacWest play in a four-game series starting with a doubleheader on Friday, February 25th. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. watch the live stream at this link.
