May 28, 2007

LEWISTON, Idaho - Azusa Pacific (Calif.) used a pair of solo home runs and a three-run fourth to beat Lee (Tenn.) 7-4 in an elimination game at the 2007 Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Cougars (51-9) saw three batters record two-hit outings, led by Brice Cutspec's 2-for-4, two run game. Cutspec also had an RBI on a solo homer. Matt Venegas had a pair of RBIs and a run scored, going 2-for-5, while Stephen Gillette was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Johnny Bravo improved to 12-0 on the season with 8.1innings and 10 strike outs.

Lee (51-15) ends its season with three two-hit outings in the ballgame, as Michael Valadez and Kyle Sullivan went 2-for-4 and Nick Hutley was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Cody Campbell (11-3) braved the loss for the Flames, tossing five innings and giving up five on seven hits. He struck out four in the loss.

Azusa notched an early run to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Venegas singled to lead off the game for APU followed by a hit-and-run that moved the Cougar shortstop to third. Two batters later, Venegas came home when Scott Hodsdon lifted a fly ball to dead centerfield for a sacrifice fly.

Lee threatened the count over the next three innings, but Hodsdon would put the next mark on the board to begin the fourth inning, belting his 26th home run of the season over the left field wall to extend the lead to 2-0.

The Cougars loaded the bases with an out recorded later in the inning when Eddie Crespo punched a fly ball into left field.

Jeremy Hutslar gloved the ball and all three APU runners were held, but in an attempt to gun down Stephen Gillette getting back to second base, the ball was overthrown and slipped into the outfield, rolling all the way to the wall and enabling two to score, making it 4-0 through four innings.

Cutspec provided the second solo home run to lead off an Azusa inning in the sixth, giving the Cougars a 5-0 lead with his 19th homer of the season.

Azusa Pacific added a pair of late-game insurance runs in the eighth, scoring Gillette and Shaun Lane when Venegas tapped a pitch through the left side to make it 7-0.

Elvis Sosa spoiled Bravo's shut-out in the top of the ninth, slicing into the lead with a solo home run that got Lee to within six, 7-1. Lee plated a second run to force Bravo from the game, as courtesy runner Hunter Hydas came across on a Tony Perez double to make the score 7-2, and Perez would score a play later when Hutley hammered Hodsdon's first pitch in relief over the right field wall to further slim the lead at 7-4.

Hodsdon fanned Sullivan for the inning's second out, and the Cougar infielder-turned-closer slammed the door by fanning Shaver to end the game.

Azusa Pacific moves through into Tuesday's elimination bracket to take on the loser of one of today's two winner's bracket games at Harris Field.