Costa Mesa, CA---The nation's fifth-ranked baseball program completed a four-game sweep of the Vanguard Lions on Saturday, as the Azusa Pacific Cougars came to Costa Mesa and earned 10-1 and 7-1 victories over the struggling VU squad. Trying to salvage a split with APU, the Blue and gold managed just eight hits in 16 innings of action, a statistic that is difficult to overcome against the GSAC-leading Cougars.
APU scored one run in both the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, before putting a four-spot on the scoreboard in the fourth frame off Vanguard starter Scott Simmons. Trailing by six runs, the VUSC offense struggled to get going against Azusa starter Ben Ruder. The Cougars knocked Simmons out of the game in the seventh inning, and took a 10-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Vanguard's Hank Yates tripled to leadoff the frame and Brandon Young brought him home on a single. However, that was as much as the Lions could muster against the visitors.
The Pride scored first in game two, hoping to open the final game of the series with a little momentum. Bryce Arroyo, who had a solid series against the Cougars, hammered a double that plated David Kiriakos. The hosts had the bases loaded with just one out against APU starter Michael Finnigan, but a double play ball put a quick end to the threat.
Tucker Woods earned the start on the bump for VU, and he held the Cougars scoreless through two innings. Yet the Cougar offense broke through in the third, scoring four runs off Woods to snag the three-run lead. Azusa Pacific scored another run in the fourth to make it 5-1, and added two more in the final two innings. The Lions had three outs to make a final push at the visitors, but failed to score in the seventh, handing the visitors the sweep.
Finnigan earned the victory for APU (28-6, 17-2 GSAC), while Woods was handed the loss for the Pride.
Vanguard (14-15, 5-13 GSAC) will try to regroup on Tuesday, when the Lions host Fresno Pacific University for another conference double header. The pair of contests are make-up games for the March 17 contests that were rained out. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m.
