AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific pulled off a minor miracle Saturday afternoon at the Cougar Baseball Complex, coming back from a six-run deficit to outlast Concordia 14-11 in the final game of their four-game series after dropping the opening game of the day by a 6-3 final.

Game One: Concordia 6, Azusa Pacific 3

The Cougars got off to a great start in this contest, with Omar Lopez opening the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, followed by an RBI double from Spencer Rasmussen.  Lopez would add to the lead with a solo home run to right center in the fifth to make the score 3-0 while starter Brendan Dixon was dealing, tossing five shutout innings while inducing a pair of double plays and striking out three.

Dixon ran into trouble in the sixth, with Concordia striking back for two runs to cut the deficit to one.  The Golden Eagles would repeat the feat in the eighth inning to take the lead on a pinch hit single, then added on with a two-run homer in the ninth, while Concordia starting pitcher Riley O'Sullivan went the distance, retiring the final 11 Cougars in a row for the complete-game victory.  Rasmussen, Will Medina, and Will Stroud each had two hits for Azusa Pacific in the contest.

Game Two: Azusa Pacific 14, Concordia 11

Concordia started the second game red hot, getting a three-run home run in the top of the first and pouring on four more in the second.  In between, Medina had gotten the Cougars on the board with an RBI single, but the home team still trailed 7-1 after an inning and a half.  In the bottom of the second, Azusa Pacific's bats started to wake themselves up.  With the bases loaded, Cade Marshman drove in a run with an RBI groundout, which was followed by a two-run double from Lopez, cutting the deficit to 7-4.  While the Golden Eagles hit another solo homer in the top of the third, the Cougars responded with two in the bottom of the inning, with Tido Robles collecting an RBI hit and Jeffrey Castillo driving in another with a sac fly.  Concordia added two more runs in the fifth to make the score 10-6, which was where things stood entering the bottom of the sixth, thanks to 1.2 innings of scoreless relief from Alfredo Frey.

After consecutive singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with no one out, Lopez cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left field line, forcing a pitching change.  The new pitcher lasted all of one pitch, which hit Rasmussen on the arm.  The next pitcher threw a pickoff attempt wide of second base, allowing both runners to advance, and Medina's single into right field promptly tied the game.  A wild pitch then scored Rasmussen to give the Cougars their first lead of the contest.  Another walk led to the third pitching change of the inning.  A sacrifice bunt and intentional walk later, Tyus Santa Anna came up for the second time in the inning.  He was hit by another pitch to force in a run, and two batters later, Marshman would cap off the rally with a two-run single.  Concordia would get one in the ninth, but Azusa Pacific would hold on for a thrilling comeback victory.

By the Numbers:  The bottom of the sixth inning in game two featured eight runs, five hits, three hit batters, three pitching changes, two walks, and an error; and also lasted 26 minutes.  Across the two games, Lopez drove in seven runs, giving him a team-high 37 for the season.  Medina went 4-7 at the plate with two RBI, having entered the day with just three hits for the season.

Up Next:  The Cougars (22-16, 15-9 PacWest) are not done with Concordia just yet.  The two sides will make up a couple of rescheduled nonconference games over the next two weeks, with the first of those taking place in Azusa Tuesday evening at 5:00 p.m.