AZUSA, Calif. - On Saturday afternoon, the Cougars traveled to No. 23 San Marcos for a doubleheader after rainy weather in Azusa washed out the Cougar Softball Complex.
Game One: Cal State San Marcos 4, Azusa Pacific 1
Azusa Pacific struck first as
Sierra Sandoval put the Cougars on the board after
Caitlin DeCanio crossed home on a ground ball to shortstop. However, San Marcos quickly responded with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. They then added two more unanswered runs to extend their advantage to 4-1 heading into the sixth.
Despite posing a threat in both the sixth and seventh innings, Azusa couldn't break through, as San Marcos held on to secure Game One.
Game Two: Cal State San Marcos 2, Azusa Pacific 1
The second game of the doubleheader turned into a pitcher's duel between
Ava Hernandez and Savannah Coyle, as both held their opponents to just one run through five innings.
San Marcos struck first with a run in the second, but Azusa Pacific responded as
Julia Doan caught the San Marcos Cougars' defense off guard, allowing Rianna De La Barcen to score on an infield single, tying the game at 1-1.
In the sixth, San Marcos took advantage of an Azusa Pacific error to reclaim the lead. Despite a late scoring opportunity for the Cougars, the home team held on to secure a narrow 2-1 win, completing the sweep.
By the Numbers: Analise Reyes provided 0.2 innings of hitless relief, while Sandoval had a multi-hit game in the second matchup of the day against San Marcos, her third of the season. As a staff, the Cougars held a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings of work.
Mia Castillo pitched her team-high 3rd complete game of the season today.
Up Next: The Cougars have a six-day break before are back on the road on Friday, Feb. 14 for a double header against Cal State Dominguez Hills. First pitch is at 12:00 p.m.
