AZUSA, Calif. – The Azusa Pacific softball team gifted their Head Coach Carrie Webber a 4-0 start to PacWest action for her birthday as the Cougars completed the four-game sweep over Menlo.

Game 1: In the opening game, freshman Ava Hernandez would get the start and pick up where Mia Castilo left off the night before as the Oaks were only able to muster one base runner during the first two frames.

While the Cougar bats took a couple of inning to come alive, Hailey Burns stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the third and got on base via an infield single.

Chaos would quickly ensue for the visiting Oaks as they proceeded to give up an error followed by seven straight hits by the Cougars which resulted in two more errors and eight runs to push the game well in favor of Azusa Pacific.

In return, Hernandez wasted no-time as re-entered the circle, sitting six straight Menlo bats to invoke an 8-0 mercy-rule after five innings of work.
 
Game 2: With the sweep in sight, Maddy Debs continued the theme of pitching dominance for the Cougars as she opened the game with 11-straight strikes to fan her first three batters of the game.

From there she would retire the next 10 Oaks she faced until a single to left would break her no-hit bid with one out in the fifth.

While the Cougars did have a one-run advantage courtesy of a Izzy Rivera deep fly over the left field fence, a hit-by-pitch put the tying run in scoring position, and APU called upon Castillo to preserve their lead.

The sophomore made quick work of the next two batters, and her lineup quickly rewarded her effort as Sakarah Buckner and Sierra Sandoval drove in two runs to extend Menlo's deficit to three.

In the top of the sixth, the Oaks managed to collect a rare hit from the APU pitching staff but momentum quickly faded away as Castillo, Rivera, and Julia Doan snuffed out Menlo's comeback bid with a double play.

Later in the seventh, Castillo dispersed her first two batters and after a giving up a double down the line, picked up her first save of the season and secured 19 innings of shutout pitching for the Cougars. 

Inside the Box Score
- The APU pitching staff held the Oaks' lineup to 5/39 (.128 average) in Saturday's doubleheader.
- Buckner, Sandoval, and Rivera would collect multi-hit outings across both games.
- APU pitchers induced 8 flyouts and 16 groundouts.

Game Notes
-  This marks APU's first 4-0 start in PacWest play since 2017 where they took two wins from home and away against Cal Baptist and Chaminade.
-   DeCanio needs to drive in three runs to reach 100 career RBI's at APU.
-  Castillo lowered her season ERA to 1.95 in 37.1 innings of work.
-  Sommer Quinones has reached safely in the last five games.
-  This marks Coach Webber's fifth win at APU on her birthday.

Up Next
The Cougars will take flight to the Aloha State for a 11-game road trip starting on Thursday against Chaminde starting at 12pm HST.