IRVINE, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific extended its winning streak to 11 games in a row after sweeping a non-conference three-game series against Biola.
The Cougars scored 56 runs in the three-game series, including a 27-run game at home in which they hit seven home runs.
Point Loma and Azusa Pacific remain in a tie for first place as the Sea Lions stayed at a .750 winning percentage in conference games after taking three of four against Holy Names.
Baxter Halligan picked up his sixth win of the season after throwing six innings with 10 strikeouts.
Jakob Christian went 8 for 16 on the week with a home run and four RBIs for Point Loma.
Concordia trails those two teams only in winning percentage as the Eagles sit in third place following a split with Fresno Pacific. Concordia won the second and third games in the four-game series between two regionally-ranked teams.
Concordia won the second game of the series 6-4 scoring two runs in the top of the 10th inning.
Tristan Hanoian hit a sacrifice fly, which drove in the game-winning run. The Sunbirds came back to win the series finale. They took a 5-0 lead with the help of
Jared Aguilar’s four RBIs on a home run and double to eventually win the game 5-2.
Biola is a game behind the other three teams and will play an important series with Point Loma this weekend. Point Loma will host the first doubleheader on Friday before the series moves to La Mirada on Saturday as both teams continue to contend for the PacWest baseball regular season title.
Weekly awards for the week of March 21-27
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Omar Lopez, Azusa Pacific
SS, So., 5-11 -- Chula Vista, Calif.
Azusa Pacific scored 56 runs in three games to sweep its non-conference series with Biola last week and extend its winning streak to 11 games in a row. Lopez went 7 for 12 in the series with a home run, seven RBIs, six runs and two walks. He opened the series by going 4 for 4 with a home run, driving in three runs and scoring three times. He also reached on a walk to reach safely in all five plate appearances. In the second game, he hit an RBI-groundout followed by a two-run home run and then got walked and came around to score as he finished the first day with six RBIs as he reached safely or drove in a run in all eight plate appearances. In the series finale, Lopez recorded a pair of singles for his eighth multi-hit game this season. He now has a .289 batting average with three home runs and 23 RBIs this season for the Cougars.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Collin Carriger, Academy of Art
RHP, Sr., 6-0 -- Fair Oaks, Calif.
Carriger threw a complete-game shutout for his third win of the season, winning at Hawai`i Hilo on Friday, 9-1. Carriger threw nine innings and scattered seven hits and one walk. He struck out six batters and the only run he allowed was an unearned run as he helped Academy of Art reach three wins on the season. Carriger struck out the first batter he faced and got another strikeout to survive a jam with runners at the corners in the first inning. After that he settled in and retired eight batters in a row as the Urban Knights built a 3-0 lead. Carriger was caught in a jam again in the fifth inning with a runner in scoring position with no outs, but he got a strikeout, shallow flyout and a grounder to get out of the inning unscathed. In the seventh inning, he retired the side in order. He went back out in the ninth inning to finish the job with a 9-1 lead. After a one-out single, Carriger got the next two batters to fly out to end the game.