BOBBI SALCIDO | staff writer
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courtesy of Ken Williams
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| With a 10-6 victory over the Sunbirds on Wednesday, Feb. 26, senior righthander GARRETT LEBSOCK earned his fifth win of the season. |
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A strong showing at the plate, combined with solid defense, helped lead the Azusa Pacific Cougars to a 10-6 victory over the visiting Fresno Pacific Sunbirds on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
With a hot fourth inning, the Cougars scored 10 runs on 16 hits, including four home runs, and committed only one error to improve to 14-2 and 7-1 in Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) play.
On the mound, the Cougars were led by senior right-handed pitcher Garrett Lebsock.
Lebsock, usually a reliever, threw over 100 pitches in six and two-thirds innings to improve to 5-0 on the season. After facing 27 batters, Lebsock gave up only six hits with six strikeouts and one walk.
“All the players and coaches knew [Lebsock] was capable, it was an easy decision to pick him to start,” head coach Paul Svagdis said. “Lebsock is well experienced. He played great.”
Lebsock, though tied for seventh in career appearances, with 62 for Azusa Pacific, recorded just his fifth career start against the Sunbirds.
“Whatever Coach asks me, I’m ready to do. It’s fun to get out there and get as many appearances as I can,” Lebsock said.
APU started off strong, ending the Sunbirds’ first at-bats with a double play between senior shortstop Shaun Lane, senior second baseman Ryan Dowell and junior first baseman Brice Cutspec.
Following with a one-hit, one-run first inning, the Cougars extended their lead to 3-0 in the second inning when sophomore right fielder Virgil Chavira hit a two RBI home run, his second home run of the season.
“Every inning we expect to do big things,” Chavira said. “When it happens, it feels great.”
After the Sunbirds tied up the game 3-3 in the third inning, the Cougars answered with an impressive six hits and five runs in the fourth inning.
Junior catcher Chris Feicht started off the inning with a walk and was brought home by Lane on his two-run home run, the Cougars’ second of the afternoon.
“I was fortunate to sit back on an off-speed pitch and got it out of the yard,” Lane said. “I was just up there trying to be aggressive.”
Senior designated hitter Eddie Crespo and junior third baseman Ryan Delgado, who both finished with three hits, each added one and scored on Cutspec’s two-run double.
Cutspec reached home on senior left fielder Stephen Gillette’s RBI single that was hit so hard, it took off the Sunbird’s center fielder’s glove on the catch. After four innings, the Cougars led 8-3.
“It is always great to see my teammates back me up. Our offense is awesome at responding,” Lebsock said. “We are always going to put up runs and it is good to have the confidence to know they are on my side.”
Azusa Pacific held off another firm offensive effort in the seventh inning, when Fresno Pacific scored another three runs.
However, in their last at-bats, Delgado and Gillette each homered in the eighth inning and extended the lead to the game’s final score of 10-6.
“We have done a good job of answering. It is a strong characteristic of our team and our offense. We hope we can continue to do that,” Svadgis said.
With the win, the Cougars forced a second place tie in the GSAC.
“We obviously want to be in first place. But if we stick to what we are doing, that will come,” Chavira said.
After this past Saturday’s split with Vanguard, the Cougars are now tied for first place in the GSAC with a record of 7-2.
The Cougars host a rematch against Fresno Pacific tomorrow, March 5 at 2:30 p.m.
“It feels good to win, but tomorrow we get back to work,” Lane said. We know we can beat them, we just need to play our game and that is what we are focused on.”
