ATHERTON, Calif. — Azusa Pacific was unable to complete its road trip on a high note Saturday, falling in both games of a doubleheader to Menlo, 8–4 and 9–7, at Cartan Field.
The Cougars showed flashes offensively in both contests but were unable to overcome early deficits and key late innings from the Oaks.
Game One – Menlo 8, Azusa Pacific 4
Azusa Pacific battled throughout the opener but was unable to recover from Menlo's early advantage.
The Oaks struck quickly in the first inning when Oliver Hogan launched a two-run home run to give Menlo a 2–0 lead. They added two more in the third and continued to build behind timely hitting and defensive miscues.
The Cougars chipped away across the middle innings. Aeden Alexander drove in a run in the third, and Jacob Hayes added a solo home run in the fourth to cut the deficit to 4–2. Azusa Pacific added another run in the sixth on an RBI walk from Diego Orozco to make it a one-run game.
Menlo responded immediately, scoring two runs in the bottom half of the sixth and adding insurance in the eighth to stretch the lead to 8–3.
Azusa Pacific added a final run in the ninth on a solo home run from Noah Lane, but the comeback fell short.
Lane led the Cougars with two hits and two runs scored, while Hayes also homered as APU totaled eight hits. However, three defensive errors proved costly in the loss .
Game Two – Menlo 9, Azusa Pacific 7
The nightcap featured a back-and-forth battle, but once again Menlo capitalized early and held off a late surge.
The Oaks jumped out to an 8–0 lead through three innings, highlighted by a four-run second and a four-run third inning fueled by extra-base hits and aggressive baserunning.
Azusa Pacific responded in the fourth inning, stringing together hits from Jacob Hayes, Isaiah Rios and Blake Hagerty. Steven Lukasiewicz delivered a two-RBI single as part of a three-run frame to cut into the deficit.
The Cougars kept pushing in the fifth, scoring four more runs. Diego Orozco drove in two with a single, and Lukasiewicz added another RBI to bring APU within 8–7.
Despite the rally, Menlo answered in the sixth with a go-ahead run on a steal of home, regaining a 9–7 advantage.
Azusa Pacific threatened late but was unable to complete the comeback, finishing with nine hits in the loss. Hagerty led the way with two hits and two runs, while Orozco and Lukasiewicz each drove in multiple runs.
