PACWEST BASEBALL WEEKLY NOTEBOOK
IRVINE, Calif. -- No. 1-ranked Azusa Pacific dropped a series for the first time this year after dropping three of four games against California Baptist, which is now just four games out of first place with three weeks left in the season.
The series win will strengthen California Baptist’s chances of advancing to the NCAA West Regional with the first set of regional rankings coming out on Wednesday. The top six teams in the region advance to the tournament, and according to the latest NCBWA regional poll, the Lancers are currently in third place.
Azusa Pacific ran away with the series-opener grabbing a 17-4 win over the Lancers. However, California Baptist came back to win the final three away games to take the series and improve to 21-11 on the season.
Andrew Bash went 3 for 4 with six RBIs and was a triple away from the cycle in the first win of the series for CBU, taking the game 13-2. Less than 24 hours later, he toed the rubber to throw seven innings of two-run ball to earn the win as he held the Cougars to three hits, while striking out eight.
In the series finale,
Tommy Bell went 3 for 3 with three RBIs, a double and a hit-by-pitch to lead California Baptist to a 7-2 victory.
Logan Rinehart earned the victory with 5.1 innings of relief.
Biola split its series last week with Dixie State to remain in fourth place in the conference. Concordia also took three of four games against Fresno Pacific to improve to 14-17 in PacWest play this season.
The first regional rankings come out on Wednesday, which is when teams will figure out where they stand in the battle for six spots in the NCAA West Regional with three weeks left in the season.
Azusa Pacific is looking to host the regional for the second year in a row and has a key series against Biola in the Cornerstone Cup. The Cougars won a non-conference meeting between the two teams early in the season.
Point Loma returns to the diamond on Friday with a series at home against Fresno Pacific. The Sea Lions are looking to boost their 10-game winning streak and make up some ground on Azusa Pacific in the battle for the PacWest title. At 27-14 on the season overall, Point Loma is hoping to rank high in the first set of regional rankings. Since the start of PacWest play, Point Loma has been one of the toughest teams to beat in the West Region with a 23-9 record in those games.
Dixie State will play at Concordia in a four-game series that begins on Thursday. The Eagles are looking to build on their success of the series win against Fresno Pacific, while the Trailblazers are trying to get above the .500 mark in the conference standings this season.
Weekly Awards for the week of April 16-22
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Andrew Bash, California Baptist
INF/RHP, So., 6-0 -- Palm Desert, Calif.
Bash helped California Baptist defeat top-ranked Azusa Pacific in a PacWest series last week at the plate and on the mound. He batted .438 on the week (7-for-16) and slugged .875 with two home runs, a double and also had 11 RBIs on the week. The sophomore also earned a win on the mound after he threw seven shutout innings in the third game of the series, a 13-2 win. He threw seven innings of two-run ball, with both runs coming on a two-run homer in the final frame. He allowed just three hits, two walks and struck out eight. Bash had two three-hit games versus Azusa Pacific. He went 3 for 4 with six RBIs, three runs scored, a double and home run in a 13-2 in the second game. The same game he pitched, Bash was 3-for-5 with three RBIs, three runs scored and a home run.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Dylan Stowell, California Baptist
RHP, Sr., 6-2 -- Mission Viejo, Calif.
Stowell threw a complete game in a 13-2 win over nationally-ranked No. 1 Azusa Pacific on Friday. The senior allowed just five hits, two walks, two runs and struck out 10 over nine innings. He was dominant from the second inning on for California Baptist, giving up just two hits and a walk over the last eight innings. He retired 10-straight Cougars from the third to the sixth inning. Azusa Pacific’s lone base runner from the seventh through the ninth came on an error, as well. California Baptist is now just four games behind in the conference standings.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Ryan Gallegos, Biola
UTIL, Fr., 6-0 -- Scotts Valley, Calif.
Gallegos hit three home runs and drove in 10 RBIs during Biola’s series with Dixie State. He became the team-leader in home runs with eight and RBIs with 46 for the Eagles with eight games left in the season. Five of Gallegos’ six hits this weekend went for extra bases, including two doubles, and he extended his hitting streak to a personal best nine games. Gallegos is one of just three players in the PacWest who is on the conference top-10 leaderboard for both doubles and home runs. Biola split the series with Dixie State to remain in fourth place in the conference standings, and is now just six games behind Azusa Pacific going into next week’s series with the Cougars in La Mirada.