Cougars Smacked in Seventh; Split With Biola

tpeterson on March 22, 2025 — Leave a Comment
Jacob Hayes hit a two-run shot for the Cougars in the third inning to tie it at two. (Photo by Duane Barker).

By Tim Peterson

(Azusa) – Azusa Pacific had a one-run lead heading into the seventh inning but gave up four runs on back-to-back home runs and fell to Biola 9-6 Saturday at the Cougar Baseball Complex. With the loss the Cougars split a doubleheader as well as the four game series with the Eagles.

In the seventh inning with APU leading 6-5, Tyler Herges, who was the third pitcher for Azusa Pacific in the game, walked the first batter Johnny Tewinkle. He got the next hitter on a ground ball but then walked the next batter Nick Madole as well.

Gabe Jacobs came on to relieve Herges. Noah Ruiz then hit the first pitch he saw from Jacobs and belted it over the left field fence for three-run shot. For good measure Isaiah Leon followed with another tape measure bomb to left and just like that it was 9-6 Eagles.

The first pitch thrown by Gabe Jacobs in the seventh inning was hit for a three-run home run by Biola’s Noah Ruiz. (Photo by Duane Barker).

The Cougars did manage to get two runners on in the bottom of the seventh but left them stranded and the Eagles came away with the victory.

The Cougars had taken a 6-5 lead in the fifth when Mikey Easter hit a sacrifice fly to score Diego Frey who led off the inning with a single. APU held the Eagles scoreless in the sixth before the roof caved in in the seventh.

Biola jumped on Azusa Pacific starter Blake Hagerty for four hits and two runs in the first inning. Luke Caruso and Tewinkle had run-scoring singles.

The Cougars tied it in the third inning when Easter reached on an error and Jacob Hayes hit a two-run home run to right field.

Josh McAninch homered in the fourth to give Biola a 3-2 lead but the Cougars immediately responded.

APU came up with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. Antonio Lujan delivered the big hit with a two-run pinch hit single.

Biola scrapped for two runs to get even in the fifth on three hits, a hit batter and an error.

Blake Hagerty started and worked into the fourth inning for the Cougars. (Photo by Duane Barker).

Another lead change came in the bottom of the fifth when Azusa Pacific went up 6-5 before the Eagles iced it in the seventh with the consecutive shots.

Biola used four pitchers overall. John Iacono started and went three and two-thirds innings. Dylan Alanis finished up for the Eagles.

Azusa Pacific also used four hurlers. Hagerty went the first three and two-thirds.

With the loss the Cougars dropped to 13-15 overall and 11-11 in the PacWest Conference. Biola improved to 13-14 and 10-10.

B 2 0 0 1 2 0 4 9 13 3

A 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 6 5 1

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