Senior left fielder Joseph Daris looks to help lead the Cougars to flip last year’s script as he had a total of five hits in 10 at-bats along with two RBIs and a run scored in the double header on Saturday, Feb. 1. Photo: Grant Walter
The Azusa Pacific Cougars’ baseball team won both ends of its season-opening doubleheader Saturday at the Cougar baseball field. With strong pitching and defense, the team scored 4-1 and 6-4 victories over the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes, snapping the Cougar four-game losing streak against them.
Game One
The Cougars, who had a record of 19-30 last season, started off the season strong by beating the Coyotes 4-1. Sophomore pitcher Josh Staumont started the first game for the Cougars against junior Coyotes pitcher Kerry Kelley. Staumont threw five innings, allowing one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Kelley also went five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
In the bottom of the second, sophomore third baseman Daniel Martin started off the inning with a double. He then stole third and scored on junior catcher Andy Bissel’s lineout to right field.
In the top of the third, San Bernardino answered with a run of its own. Staumont walked Coyotes junior third baseman Warren Fishback with one out. Senior left fielder Aaron Beckley singled, sending Fishback to second. One out later, junior second baseman Kevin Meriwether singled to drive in Fishback.
APU tacked on runs in the third, sixth and eighth innings, including a Bissel solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. The 4-1 lead set up Cougars pitcher Zach Hedges for the save. Hedges pitched a total of four innings, only allowing one hit and one walk.
Martin and senior left fielder Joseph Daris both went 2-for-4 in the game. The win was given to Staumont and the loss to Kelley.
Game Two
In the second game, sophomore pitcher Joel Belk started for the Cougars. He pitched five innings, allowing three hits and two runs with two walks and five strikeouts. He was relieved by junior pitcher Adam McCreery, who threw three innings and allowed one hit, two runs and five walks. Junior pitcher Jacob Cage closed the game in the top of the ninth to earn the save.
Offensively, the Cougars took the early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first. Senior center fielder Matt Kimmel led off with a single up the middle, followed by a Daris double that scored Kimmel. Junior second baseman Blake James also doubled and junior first baseman Jordan Brower’s sacrifice fly to center field allowed Daris to score. One out later, senior designated hitter Domenic Biagini singled and James scored the third run of the inning.
The Coyotes answered with a scoring sac fly in the top of the second and an RBI single in the top of the fourth.
In the bottom of the fourth, junior right fielder Ryan Santana doubled to left center and moved to third on an error. Senior third baseman Danny Gonzales singled and Santana scored. Later in the inning, Gonzales was able to score on a wild pitch, giving the Cougars a 5-2 lead.
Things got shaky for the Cougars in the top of the sixth when Adam McCreery entered the game in relief and threw 10 pitches before he tossing a strike. He walked the first two batters he faced and the third singled and drove in a run. Another walk loaded the bases with no outs, but despite a run-scoring walk later in the inning, McCreery was able to get out of the jam with three runners left on base and only two runs allowed.
The Cougars added one more run in the bottom of the eighth to give senior relief pitcher JacobCage some breathing room as he came in to close the ninth and end the game with a final score of 6-4.
Kimmel went 3-for-5 in the game and Daris went 2-for-5 with one RBI. Belk earned his first win of the season (1-0). The loss was given to San Bernardino starter Taylor Valentine (0-1).
“I thought our energy level for 18 innings was really good,” APU head coach Paul Svagdis said. “[The pitchers] really kept us in the game. … I thought they all did a good job when they faced some adversity. Probably all of them weren’t on their A-game, so they had to pitch through some troublesome moments. I was proud of the way the starters kept us in the game. Even more importantly, the defense really did a great job for the pitchers today.”
After a strong opener, the Cougars look forward to their next series at Chico State. The four-game series begins Thursday, Feb. 6 and ends with a doubleheader on Feb. 8.