Cougars Win Slugfest, 15-11

Daniel Martin hits two bombs for the Cougars!

Daniel Martin hits two bombs for the Cougars!

By Tim Peterson

(Glendora) – There were 12 pitchers used, 29 hits, four home runs, 26 runs scored and an undetermined amount of momentum swings Saturday afternoon at Azusa Pacific. When the dust finally cleared it was the Cougars who were the last team standing in a 15-11 win over Hawaii Pacific.

Oh and by the way it was the first game of a doubleheader.

Daniel Martin did the most damage for APU two three run home runs and seven RBI overall. He also hit a sacrifice fly. Mitch Dergazarian also had two hits and two ribbies while scoring twice. Ryan Santana clubbed a solo shot in the third.

Wyatt Wood got the start and was solid early on!

Wyatt Wood got the start and was solid early on!

Hawaii Pacific however wouldn’t go away. Every time the Cougars had the Sharks on the ropes they would bite back. They were down 10-3 and cut it to 10-6 with three in the sixth. Azusa Pacific went up 14-6 but Hawaii came back with five in the eighth to cut it to 14-11. Ian Arciaga started the rally with a towering shot to left.

Hawaii Pacific scored three in the third to grab a 3-1 advantage. Steven Camberos walked, Bronson Aiwohi singled and Ryan Torres-Torioka walked to load the bases off of APU starter Wyatt Wood. Nolan Barraza walked to force in one run and Cody Ellenwood hit a ball that was misplayed by the Cougars in left field and two more runs scored. That was the last time the Sharks saw the lead.

Azusa Pacific immediately answered in the bottom of the third with four. Three came on Martin’s shot to left with Michael Staudinger and Dergazarain aboard. Two batters later Santana parked one over the right field fence for a 5-3 lead.

The Cougars broke it wide open with three in the fourth and two in the fifth. Dergazarian had a two run double in the fourth and Martin hit a sacrifice fly.

In the fifth Santana, Blake James and Brian Magana all doubled to plate a couple more. A 10-3 margin seemed to be more than enough but Aiwohi hit a bases clearing double for Hawaii in the sixth.

APU came back with three in the seventh on another Martin bomb. This one appeared initially to have been misplayed by the Sharks’ left fielder as it caromed away. But the umpires huddled up and then declared that the ball hit the net for a home run.

HPU made one last push with five in the eighth highlighted by Arciaga’s shot and run scoring singles by Nolan Barraza and Torres-Torioka.

The Cougars used seven pitchers in all. Wood started and went five plus innings allowing six hits and six runs. Josh Grajeda finished off the Sharks in a scoreless ninth.

Hawaii trotted out six hurlers as well. APU chased Brandon Van Stone with one out on the fourth. Van Stone gave up seven runs and seven hits.

The Cougs had 15 hits overall while HPU collected 14.

APU improved to 23-8 overall.

HPU 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 5 0 11

APU 0 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 15

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