MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

(Azusa) – Azusa Pacific belted four home runs and had 13 hits overall in a 6-3 win over Chaminade Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at the Cougar Baseball Complex.

Antonio Lujan hit two home runs including the first one on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning as he led off the game for the Cougars for a 1-0 lead.

In the second inning Will Medina went deep driving one over the left field wall. Elijah Morgan followed with a double and scored on a base hit by Diego Frey. Frey was out on a fielder’s choice on a ball hit by Allan Camarillo but Lujan stepped in and slammed his second bomb of the game high over the fence in left and just like that it was 5-0 Azusa Pacific.

The Cougars added one more in the sixth as Jacob Hayes went yard to left for a solo shot to make it 6-0.

That was more than enough for starter David Hays who sailed through the first five innings. He ran into some trouble in the sixth inning as Chaminade broke through.

Hays was relieved by Cameron Kessel after going five and one-third innings. He struck out eight, walked four and allowed just one hit. He was charged with two runs.

Chaminade scored all three of its runs in the sixth inning when Harrison Clark singled home Aydan Labetos who had walked and a hit batsmen plated Casey Kudell who had also drawn a base on balls. A sacrifice fly by Jackson Dorn scored one more. That was all the Silverswords could muster.

The Cougars used four pitchers on the day. Casey Spencer followed Kessel in the seventh inning and worked into the ninth. Spencer walked two in the ninth and Joel Tornero came on to get the last two outs and picked up the save.

APU pitchers allowed just three hits overall but did issue six walks.

For Chaminade Anthony O’Canas started and took the bulk of the damage. He pitched five innings and allowed six runs and 10 hits. Brennen Panis worked the last three innings.

The Cougars improved to 3-4 on the season while Chaminade fell to 1-4.

C 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3

A 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 6

Note: Azusa Pacific lost to Chaminade 7-6 Saturday in the second game of the doubleheader.