FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team fell in both ends of a doubleheader against #25 Azusa Pacific on Friday, dropping the opener 13-0 before suffering a 5-2 loss in the nightcap. The Cougars clinched the PacWest Conference Championship on Friday, and they will take at least a five-game lead into next week's final series against Point Loma. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Game 1: Azusa Pacific 13, Fresno Pacific 0
Game 2: Azusa Pacific 5, Fresno Pacific 2
Records: FPU (17-23, 13-14 PacWest), APU (33-11, 23-4 PacWest)
Location: FPU Diamond | Fresno, Calif.  
All-Time Series: APU leads 33-31
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The Cougars started the scoring in the third with a pair of runs before pushing it to 3-0 an inning later.
• APU came up with two big innings late, striking for four in the sixth before breaking it all the way open with a six-run eighth.      
• Joe Quire singled to left to put APU in front 1-0 in the third inning of the nightcap, and a pair of fifth-inning hits made it a 3-0 game.   
• Brian Hefner doubled the other way in the sixth, and Jared Aguilar followed with a two-run shot to put the Sunbirds on the board for the first time on the day.    
• The Cougars got both runs back in the top of the seventh, and the Sunbirds left the tying run in the on-deck circle to end the game.     
 
STATS FROM THE DAY
• Garrett Cooper was the only Sunbird with a multi-hit game in the opener, while Hefner and Ross Dodds each recorded a pair of base hits in the nightcap.
• Five Sunbirds teamed up to finish the game on the mound in the first game, with Carson Schellenberg highlighting the effort with a scoreless outing that lasted for four outs.   
• Alex Garcia took the loss in the nightcap after allowing four earned runs and fanning seven over six innings before giving way to the pen.
• Anton tossed the final inning for the Sunbirds despite allowing a run in the final frame.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• Aguilar extended his hitting streak to seven games with the home run, and he has now reached safely in 11 straight.
• Alvarez leads the team with a .338 average and 29 RBI.
 
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds and Cougars wrap up the series on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for noon at the Diamond. FPU will honor the 2019 senior class prior to the game, with the festivities set for 11:45 a.m.