IRVINE, Calif. – Azusa Pacific went 1-1 on opening day at the Concordia Kickoff Classic in Great Park Stadium on Friday. APU opened the day with a narrow 2–1 loss to Chico State before rebounding in the afternoon to earn its first win of the season with a 5–3 victory over Colorado State University Pueblo.
Game One: Chico State 2, Azusa Pacific 1
The Cougars and Wildcats were locked in a scoreless battle through four innings before Chico State broke through in the top of the fifth with a two-out rally.
After a leadoff double put a runner in scoring position, Chico State loaded the bases and capitalized with a two-run double to right-center, giving the Wildcats a 2–0 lead. Azusa Pacific limited further damage, but the pair of runs proved to be the difference.
APU answered in the bottom of the sixth. Julia Doan reached base and used her speed to move into scoring position, eventually coming home on an RBI single down the left-field line by Sydney Juarez to cut the deficit to one. The Cougars brought the tying run aboard later in the inning but were unable to push across another run.
Azusa Pacific threatened again in the seventh, putting a runner on base with one out, but Chico State closed the door to secure the win.
In the circle, APU received a strong outing from Ava Hernandez, who went five innings and allowed just two earned runs on three hits while striking out six. Analise Reyes followed in relief, tossing two scoreless innings and keeping the Cougars within striking distance.
Inside the Box Score
- Sydney Juarez went 1-for-3 with the Cougars' lone RBI.
- Julia Doan finished 1-for-2, reached base twice, and stole three bases, accounting for the tying run.
- Hannah Tipton added a single and a stolen base, while Jocelyn Guzman also chipped in a hit.
- Hernandez struck out six in her five-inning start, while Reyes did not allow a run in two innings of relief.
- Azusa Pacific swiped four bases and committed no errors defensively.
Game Two: Azusa Pacific 5, CSU Pueblo 3
After CSU Pueblo struck first in the bottom of the first, Azusa Pacific answered with timely hitting and steady pressure on the bases to take control.
The ThunderWolves grabbed a 1-0 lead in the opening frame when a two-out single set up an RBI triple to right-center. But APU limited the damage, picking a runner off at third to end the inning and keep the deficit at one.
The Cougars flipped the game in the third. APU loaded the bases with nobody out, and Sydney Juarez delivered the breakthrough with a two-out, two-run single through the right side to score Hailey Burns and Maddy Debs for a 2-1 lead.
Azusa Pacific added separation in the fourth, capitalizing on a CSU Pueblo error to plate two unearned runs. Burns put a ball in play and reached, then later came around as APU pushed the advantage to 4-1.
CSU Pueblo kept fighting back with an RBI double in the fourth and another run in the fifth to cut it to 4-3, but APU answered immediately. Jenna Fullmer tripled down the right-field line to open the sixth and scored on a sacrifice fly from Maddy Debs, giving the Cougars a key insurance run at 5-3.
In the circle, Debs earned the win after starting the game, and Charli Ray Escobedo earned a save as she steadied things in relief, working the final five innings and and holding CSU Pueblo to two earned runs the rest of the way as APU finished off the victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Hits: APU 9 | CSU Pueblo 7
- Errors: APU 1 | CSU Pueblo 1
- Key APU hitters:
- Pitching:
Up Next: The Cougars return to Great Park on Saturday, Jan 31 for Day 2 of the Concordia Kickoff Classic. They will face Cal Poly Humboldt at 10:30 a.m. before taking on Fort Lewis at 3:30 p.m.
