ST. GEORGE, Utah – With plenty of offense on its side on Monday, Azusa Pacific swept a doubleheader against the Montana State University Billings baseball team, winning Game 1 25-7 and taking Game 2 16-13 at Bruce Hurst Field.
"Our guys competed offensively today," said MSUB head coach
Rob Bishop. "We just didn't pitch or defend well enough to compete against a very good Azusa Pacific team. We will make some adjustments and come out tomorrow ready to go."
Brody Miller finished the day batting 5-for-9 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored for the 'Jackets.
Luke Reinschmidt also had a big day with a double, a triple and a home run, and he drove in four and scored twice. The junior center fielder also stole a base, and was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
Bret Bitow had his second triple of the season for the 'Jackets, as part of a 4-for-10 effort. Shortstop
Kyle Durbin led the team with five runs scored and also drove in a pair.
For Azusa Pacific (7-2), Daniel Martin went 5-for-10 with five runs scored and eight RBIs on two doubles and a home run. Jordan Brower also drove in eight runs for the Cougars, thanks to four doubles on a 6-for-10 batting line overall.
The Yellowjackets fell to 1-5 on the season with the losses.
Game 1 – Azusa Pacific 25, MSU Billings 7 Miller helped the 'Jackets take the lead with an RBI double in the first inning, but Azusa Pacific responded with seven runs in the bottom of the frame to set the tone in the big Game 1 victory.
Brower and Austin Shives had four hits apiece, and the former drove in five runs with three doubles for the Cougars. Martin was 2-for-4 with four RBIs, four runs scored, and a home run, and Anthony Annunziata added a pinch-hit home run as APU racked up 11 extra-base hits and 25 total.
For MSUB, Miller finished the first game 3-for-5 and had six assists at second base. Bitow hit a double and a triple for the 'Jackets and led the team with a pair of RBIs. Durbin scored a pair of runs and had two hits, and he was the first Yellowjacket of the game to cross the plate.
APU stormed to a 10-1 lead after adding a run in the second and two more in the third against MSUB starter
Brady Muller (0-1). MSUB responded however with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to pull within four runs at 10-6. Martin launched a three-run blast into left center in the bottom of the fifth, kicking off an eight-run inning that put the game out of reach.
APU starter Jacob Cage lasted 4 1/3 innings, surrendering six runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and zero walks. Mitchell Williams (1-0) was the first of five relief pitchers used by the Cougars, and the group combined to allow just one run and six hits over the final 4 2/3 innings.
For the 'Jackets, Muller was tagged with the loss after surrendering 10 earned runs and 12 hits in four innings of work. The senior left-hander also struck out five batters and walked just one in his second outing of the season.
Jacob Foley,
Lucas Blehm,
Griffen Pape and
Dylan Goldsack each tossed an inning of relief for the 'Jackets.
Game 2 – Azusa Pacific 16, MSU Billings 13 Similar to Game 1, MSUB jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first and two more in the second inning. An infield single by
Corey Morris plated the run for the 'Jackets in the first, and
Kevin Toon brought home a pair in the second with a two-run single into center.
MSUB starter
Jake Mills cruised through the first two innings, before the Cougars got to the senior in the third with a big eight-run inning that drove him from the game.
The 'Jackets rallied in the sixth inning, scoring seven runs in the frame to take a 12-9 lead, and Durbin, Reinschmidt and
Colter Sternhagen each drove in a pair of runs in the inning.
APU again found an answer, tying the game in the top of the seventh with three runs on singles by Martin and Brower.
A solo home run by Miller put the lead back into MSUB's hands in the eighth, but four runs on doubles by Martin and Ryan Santana in the top of the ninth sealed the win and the sweep for the Cougars.
Martin had three hits and four RBIs in the second game, and Shives scored three runs. On the mound, Josh Grajeda earned the victory with two strong innings in relief, and APU used seven total pitchers in recording the win. Jonathan Velasco threw the final out to earn his first save of the season.
Bryon Baker took the loss for MSUB, allowing three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts in two innings out of the bullpen.
UP NEXT: The three-game set wraps up Tuesday with a noon Mountain time game at Bruce Hurst Field. The Yellowjackets will then face Dixie State in a three-game series, and will conclude the road trip with three games against Minot State over the weekend also in St. George.
