AZUSA, Calif.  – The Fresno Pacific University baseball team started hot on Thursday evening but ultimately fell 7-4 to fifth-ranked Azusa Pacific in the opener of a four-game PacWest Conference series.
 
The Sunbirds got on the scoreboard first for the fourth time in their last five league games after Travis Anderson drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning. Joey Gallegos followed with a single to right, allowing starting pitcher Trent Ashford to take the mound for the bottom of the inning with his team leading 2-0.
 
An infield single was the lone blemish on the inning for Ashford, and his offense again plated a pair to push the lead to 4-0 and chase APU righthander Michael Fairchild after just five outs. Ashford retired the side in order in the second, but the Cougar bullpen was able to keep the Sunbirds from scoring for the duration of the night.
 
APU pulled even with a four-run outburst in the home third, taking advantage of a wide throw to first to plate the first two. The home nine took their first lead of the series in the fourth, and leftfielder Pablo O'Connor added some insurance with his conference-best eighth home run of the year three innings later.  
 
Tristen Alvarez' 2-for-3 night highlighted the offensive effort for FPU, and the sophomore is now hitting .611 during a five-game hitting streak against the Cougars dating back to last season. Michael Warkentin and Eddie Sievers combined for four hits from the first two slots in the FPU order, helping the Sunbirds to their second-highest hit total of the young season.
 
Ashford was saddled with his fourth loss of the year despite allowing just three earned runs over 6.2 innings. The bullpen proved to be a bright spot, as southpaw Tyler Rumbaugh finished off the seventh before Carson Schellenberg overcame a soft hit to record an otherwise flawless eighth.
 
Royal Bradley was the third APU arm of the night, but he earned the win after allowing just two hits over four innings of work. Hayden Jorgenson picked up a six-out save with some help from an inning-ending double play in the eight.
 
The Sunbirds and Cougars are set to return to action on Friday, when they will play a nine-inning contest and follow it with a seven-inning game. First pitch from APU Baseball Field is slated for 3:00 p.m.