By Tim Peterson
(Azusa) – Azusa Pacific fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and could never recover in a 7-1 loss to Fresno Pacific in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at the Cougar Baseball Complex.
Jaylen Rodriguez went the distance for Fresno Pacific allowing only one run and seven hits while striking out seven.
The Sunbirds got Rodriguez all the runs he needed with the first three batters of the game. Trent Mallonee led off the game against Azusa Pacific starter Cameron Kessel with a single to left field. Gabe Henderson followed with a line single to center and Andrew Valdez came up and promptly drilled a shot over the left field barrier in left and just like that it was 3-0 Sunbirds.
The Cougars came a few feet short of taking the lead in the bottom of the first inning when they loaded the bases on a walk to George Christison and singles by Cade Marshman and Spencer Rasmussen. The next hitter Omar Lopez followed and turned on one but his bid for a grand slam home run hooked just foul down the left field line. Lopez then banged into a double play and APU left the bases loaded.
Fresno Pacific added another run in the second when Shane Pursell singled, worked his way to third and scored on a base hit by Mallonee.
The Sunbirds made it 5-0 in the third when Donte Valdez singled, moved to second on a base knock by Tommy Rover and scored on a single by Chris Clement.
The Cougars offered a murmur of protest in the fourth inning when Tyler Durbin unloaded a bomb to left field but it turned out to be APU’s only run of the game.
Fresno Pacific added two more runs in the fifth on four hits including run-scoring singles by Clement and Pursell.
Azusa Pacific used five pitchers in the contest. Kessel went three innings and allowed five runs and nine hits. Meanwhile Fresno Pacific’s Rodriguez improved to 7-0 on the season with the victory.
The Cougars, who won the first game 12-2, finished the regular season 21-27 overall and 16-15 in the PacWest Conference. They now will play in the PacWest Championships Tournament which begins May 8 at APU.
Fresno Pacific finished 21-25, 12-20 in the PacWest.
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