Cougars Can’t Weather Red Storm

APU's Daniel Martin sends this belt high fastball to San Bernardino.

APU’s Daniel Martin sends this belt high fastball to San Bernardino.

By Tim Peterson

(Glendora) – Azusa Pacific led 4-0 early but couldn’t hold on as Dixie State rallied for an 8-5 win over the Cougars Saturday.

Daniel Martin belted a three run home run to highlight a four run second inning as the Cougars struck first. Adrian Tovalin and Joe Huthsing both walked. Brian Magana hit into a force play but Tovalin scored on an error. Mitch Dergazarian followed with a single to set up Martin’s bomb.  Blake James singled home a run in the seventh but that was all Azusa Pacific managed the rest of the way.

Meanwhile the Red Storm battled back. Tanner Morache belted a two run home run in the third and base hits by Drew McClaughlin, Kevin Klien and Yuto Kata led to two more runs to tie it up.

Blake James looks to turn two.

Blake James looks to turn two.

Dixie State took the lead for good in the sixth when Kato doubled in a run and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Marache for a 6-4 lead.

The Cougars cut it to 6-5 in the seventh when Marin walked and eventually scored on the single by James. But the Red Storm came right back to ice it with two more runs in the ninth. Marche was hit by a pitch and took second on an error on a ball hit by McClaughlin. Both runners moved around to score on a couple of ground balls. Marcache avoided the tag when the Cougars tried to cut him down at the plate.

Each side used four pitchers in the contest. Porter Clayton started and pitched into the seventh inning for the Red Storm. Wyatt Wood lasted just two and  one-third innings for the Cougars.

With the win Dixie State salvaged a split of the four game series. APU swept a double header on Friday. APU fell to 29-17 with the loss.

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