SANTA BARBARA, Calif – The Cougars and the Warriors split Friday's competitive doubleheader at Russell Carr Field, with APU taking Game 1 by a 4-0 shutout before Westmont responded with a 3-1 victory in Game 2. This series also marked the start of APU's conference play. 

Game 1: Cougars Strike First with a Shutout Win - Azusa Pacific 4, Westmont 0. 

In the opener, the Cougars' pitching staff stifled Westmont's lineup en route to a big early series win. 

APU struck first in the 4th inning, as Isaiah Rios delivered a two-RBI single, scoring Jacob Hayes and Noah Lane for a 2-0 lead. Both teams remained scoreless until the 8th inning, when Blake Hagerty began the rally with a single to right field. Chris Hernandez, who had walked, advanced, and Matt Kurkdjian followed with an RBI single to score Hernandez and make it 3-0. 

Steven Lukasiewicz and Bryce Robinette both reached base on consecutive infield errors, and advanced on a wild pitch, allowing Kurkdijan to score and extend the lead to 4-0.

Offensively, APU tallied seven hits, led by Noah Lane (2), and contributions from Hayes, Hagerty, Kurkdjian, Rios, and Robinette. Lane scored once, and Hayes recorded his third double of the season. 

The "Arm Farm" was in full effect, as several dominant performances shut down the Warrior offense. 

• Casey Spencer went 4.0 IP, allowing only 3 hits with 5 strikeouts.

• Doug Pyle (W, 1-0), followed with 1.0 IP of scoreless relief. 

• Damian Pasillas (SV) closed the game with 4 scoreless innings and earned the save. 

Westmont managed just five hits and left several runners on base. Their pitching staff allowed four runs on seven hits, with defensive errors contributing to the scoring rally in the 8th inning.

Inside the Box Score: 

Hits: APU 7 | WC 5 

Errors: APU 0 | WC 4

Key APU Hitters: 

• Noah Lane: 2-for-5 (.400), 1 R, 28.6% of APU's hits, OBP .400, SLG .400 

• Isaiah Rios: 1-for-4 (.250), 2 RBI (50% of APU's runs), OBP/SLG .250

• Jacob Hayes: 1-for-4 (.250), 2B, 1 R, OBP .250, SLG .500

• Matt Kurkdjian: 1-for-3 (.333), 1 RBI, 1 R, OBP/SLG: .333

Pitching: 

• Casey Spencer: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 SO

• Doug Pyle: 1.0 IP, W (1-0) 

• Damian Pasillas: 4.0 IP (SV)

Game 2: Warriors Bounce Back in Game 2 - Westmont 3, Azusa Pacific 1.  

In the second game, Westmont jumped ahead early and held its lead over the Cougars. 
The Warriors struck in the 2nd inning when Jaden Mingus doubled down the left field line to score Lukas Le Gras, who had walked earlier in the inning. The next batter, Issac Veal, belted a two-run homer to make the score 3-0. 

APU responded in the 3rd, when Noah Lane delivered an RBI single to score Jacob Freer, but that would be the Cougars' lone run. 

For the Warriors, Caden Beloian tossed 3.1 innings and limited APU to 3 hits. Closer Brandon Tatch (W, 1-0) closed 3.2 shutout innings with 4 strikeouts to earn the win. APU starter David O'Neill (L, 0-2) struck out 5 Warriors over 4.2 innings, and reliever Edwin Segovia finished with 1.1 scoreless innings. 

Inside the Box Score: 
Hits: APU 5 | WC 4
Errors: APU 0 | WC 2

Key APU Hitters: 

• Jacob Freer: 2-for-3, 1 R, OBP: .667 SLG: .667 (2 singles)

• Noah Lane: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, OBP: .250, SLG: .250

• Jacob Hayes: 1-for-4, 2B, OBP: .250, SLG: .500

• Caleb Velo: 1-for-3, OBP: .333, SLG: .333

Pitchers: 

• David O'Neill (L): 4.2 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 5 SO

• Edwin Segovia (Relief): 1.1 IP, 1 SO, 0 R

Up Next: 

With the split, APU improves to 3-8 (1-1 PacWest), while Westmont moves to 4-1 (1-1 PacWest). The series continues at the Cougar Baseball Complex on Saturday, February 14th, with the games scheduled for 2 PM and 5 PM.