MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

(Azusa) – Azusa Pacific had a one run lead after seven innings but Cal Poly Pomona scored three runs in the eighth inning and two in the ninth to beat the Cougars 9-5 in the nightcap of a doubleheader Saturday. APU also lost the first game in a slugfest 21-13 and were swept in the three-game series.

Down 5-4 entering the eighth inning Tyler Blade led off for Cal Poly Pomona with a single and advanced to third on a base hit by Christian Gomez. Blade then scored on a wild pitch and Gomez rode home on a double by Sebastian Casillas. Later in the inning Jack Sanders was hit by a pitch forcing Casillas home.

A 5-4 lead was now a 7-5 deficit for APU. The Broncos put the game on ice in the ninth inning when Ashton Romero walked and Blade belted a two-run homerun. The Cougars went out in order in the ninth.

Sanders homered to right field to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead in the first. They added one more in the fourth when Blade tripled and scored on a double by Arturo Rodriguez.

Azusa Pacific got off the floor and turned it around in the bottom of the fourth on one swing. After Tyler Preece was hit by a pitch and Jacob Freer singled Eli Morgan unloaded a three-run bomb to right to give the Cougars a 3-2 lead.

Cal Poly grabbed the lead right back in the fifth as Sanders doubled and Romero socked a two-run dinger for a 4-3 lead.

The Cougars responded in the sixth inning with two when Morgan came through again with a single to drive in Isaiah Rios who had led off the inning with a single. Pinch hitter Will Allen then beat out an infield hit and Preece, who had drawn a walk, scored.

The lead lasted until the eighth when the Broncos busted loose. APU used four pitchers in the contest. David O’Neill started and went five innings allowing six runs and four hits. Damian Pasillas, Tyler Herges and Blake Hagerty followed with Pasillas suffering the loss.

Anthony Vasquez started and lasted four innings for Cal Poly Pomona. He gave up three runs and three hits and struck out eight. The Broncos also used four pitchers. Andrew Dusablon worked two and two-thirds scoreless innings to pick up the win.

Morgan had a big day offensively for the Cougars. He reached base all four times and was two for two with four runs batted in and a run scored.

Azusa Pacific opened the season Friday night with a 1-0 loss to the Broncos and is 0-3 to start the season. Cal Poly Pomona is 3-0.

CPP 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 2 9

APU 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 5