AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific's bats came roaring to life, slugging five home runs in a 15-9 victory over Hawai'i Hilo in the opener of their four-game series at the Cougar Baseball Complex Saturday afternoon before mashing three more over the fence in a 9-4 win in the nightcap.
Game One: Azusa Pacific 15, Hawai'i Hilo 9
Hilo erupted for three runs in the top of the first, thanks in part to an error on what could have been an inning-ending double play. The Cougars would respond in the bottom of the third. Jacob Freer led off with a single. Two walks later, the bases were loaded for Tyler Preece, who drove in two with a 3-0 double down the left field line. Isaiah Rios launched the very next pitch over the fence in right for a three-run homer and a 5-3 lead.
The Vulcans came right back with four in the top of the fourth to retake the lead 7-5. But the Cougars had the same part of the lineup coming to the plate in the bottom half, and with one out, Bryce Robinette doubled, Blake Hagerty drew a second straight walk, and Preece followed with a line drive home run to left to put the Cougars up 8-7. After a scoreless top of the fifth, Noah Lane led off the bottom half with a solo homer, and a double later, Matt Kurkdjian followed with a two-run shot of his own to make the score 11-7. Rios and Jacob Hayes would each drive in another run in the eighth to further extend the lead before Diego Orozco came off the bench to provide an exclamation point with the team's fifth home run of the opening game. Hilo would pull a pair back in the top of the ninth, but that was all.
The Cougar defense came to life late, turning double plays in both the sixth and seventh innings to preserve the lead. Damian Pasillas threw three shutout innings of relief to earn the win, aided by a pair of zeros on the board from David O'Neill. Preece had five RBI to go with his pair of extra-base hits. Ten different Cougars, including the entire starting lineup, had a hit in the opener.
Game Two: Azusa Pacific 9, Hawai'i Hilo 4
Robinette led off the bottom of the first with a solo shot over the wall in left to put the Cougars up early. Two batters later, Hayes went opposite field for his sixth homer of the season, doubling the lead. Casey Spencer was able to pitch around a bases-loaded jam in the second, inducing a ground ball double play to keep it a 2-0 game.
Robinette again singled to lead off the third. Three batters later the bases were loaded for Noah Lane. The outfielder lifted a pop fly into shallow left field that the shortstop lost in the sun, allowing a run to score. Carlos Velo followed with a two-run single. Jacob Freer drove in another with a perfect sacrifice bunt, and Kurkdjian capped off the rally with an RBI single to make it 7-0. Hagerty would add to the onslaught with a solo shot to left in the fourth inning.
Hilo would finally get on the board with a solo home run in the sixth, but Hayes cancelled that run out with a two-out RBI single in the bottom half to make it 9-1. The Vulcans would get a three-run homer down to their last strike in the seventh, but would draw no closer. Casey Spencer went six innings, scattering five hits while striking out four in a winning effort.
Up Next: Azusa Pacific (12-14, 10-7 PacWest) will conclude this four-game set with Hawai'i Hilo with another 9-7 doubleheader on Monday at the Cougar Baseball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
