AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific picked up two wins over Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday, walking off game one 4-3 on a home run from Caitlin DeCanio and a powerful performance from Sommer Quinones before taking game two 3-1 behind a strong start and 11-hit performance. With the pair of wins, the Cougars are now at five straight wins and are undefeated to start April.
Game One: Azusa Pacific 4, Cal State San Bernardino 3
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, DeCanio delivered the defining swing of the afternoon- a two-run, walk-off home run to center field- lifting the Cougars to a thrilling 4-3 victory.
The Cougars entered their final at-bat down one but didn't shy away from the Coyotes. Quinones led off the inning with her fourth hit of the game, a single to center. Hailey Burns then executed a sacrifice bunt to move the tying run into scoring position. With one out and the count 0-2, DeCanio did what DeCanio does and crushed it over the center field fence for the walk-off victory.
The home run capped a steady climb back into the game after APU fell behind 3-0 by the third inning. San Bernardino opened the scoring in the first with an RBI triple and added two more on a solo home run and a wild pitch. But the Cougars started to chip away in the fourth when Julia Doan singled home pinch runner Rianna De La Barcena to get Azusa Pacific on the board.
An inning later, the Cougars cut the deficit to one. Alexus Corona singled to lead off the fifth, and Quinones followed with her third hit. Burns laid down another successful bunt, and while DeCanio's flyout seemed routine, a throwing error by the Coyotes' catcher allowed Corona to score and make it 3-2.
Quinones was a force at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a run scored, while DeCanio went 1-for-4, her lone hit being her eighth home run of the season. Doan, Simone Penuelas, and Bella Fraser also tallied hits as the Cougars finished with nine.
Mia Castillo earned the complete-game win, pitching through all seven innings. She allowed eight hits, struck out eight, and did not walk a batter, improving to 6-5 on the season.
Game Two: Azusa Pacific 3, Cal State San Bernardino 1
While there was no late-inning drama in game two, the Cougars were quick to avoid playing catch-up again. In the second, Sierra Sandoval led off with a double to deep center. Doan followed with a single through the right side, moving Sandoval to third. After a fielder's choice and an RBI single from Corona made it 1-0, Emily Zuniga sent Doan home with a groundout to third, giving APU a 2-0 lead.
An inning later, DeCanio smashed a triple to center field and was immediately brought home by Sandoval's second double of the game, extending the lead to 3-0.
That was all the run support Ava Hernandez would need in the circle. The freshman cruised through six innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out two. She kept the Coyotes off the scoreboard until the sixth, when back-to-back two-out hits made it 3-1.
Debs came on in the seventh to close it out. After a leadoff single and a fielder's choice, a Cougar error allowed a runner into scoring position- but Debs baited a flyout to end the game and earn her second save of the season.
Sandoval finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI, while DeCanio added a triple and a run scored. Burns went 2-for-3, and Doan and Izzy Rivera each contributed two-hit performances in a game where the Cougars tallied 11 hits total.
Up Next: The Cougars move to 24-15 on the season, and return to PacWest play when they host Dominican on Monday, April 7 for a makeup doubleheader that was rained out earlier in the season. First pitch of game one is at 12:00 PM.
