Ciera Ashman's two-run home run in the sixth inning of game two secured a very hard-fought split for CSUSM softball at home against Azusa Pacific.  CSUSM lost first game 4-3 in extras and won the second 2-0.

#16-ranked Cal State San Marcos is now 29-11 on the season, while Azusa Pacific is 22-17.

After the game one loss, Ashman's late long ball gained extra significance, as this veteran Cougar team once again proved its resilience by bouncing back from a very tough defeat.

Azusa Pacific came in to game one with a smart approach against CSUSM ace and NAIA wins leader Brenna Sandberg.  As opposed to swinging for the fences, APU worked the count, put the ball in play, and put pressure on the defense, and successfully generated a pair of runs. 

Down 2-0 in the sixth inning though, CSUSM would rally.  With two outs and Alyssa Dronenburg on first, Shanti Poston and Kimi Villalpando hit solid singles, with the latter driving home Dronenburg.  The throw home got away from the catcher, and Poston was able to slide home safely with the tying run.

The game went to extra innings, where Azusa Pacific took immediate advantage of the international tiebreaker.  APU bunted its runner over to third, and a bloop single brought her home.  Later in the inning, a two-out double would make it 4-2.

CSUSM would not go down quietly though, with Dronenburg leading off with a single to put runners on the corners.  A double-steal then brought the run home but cost the Cougars their baserunner; however, Lauren Nelson and Erica Coelho drew back-to-back walks, putting the winning run on base.  After a strikeout, an infield pop-up appeared to drop in, but interference was called on Nelson rounding third to end the ballgame.

Pitcher Brenna Sandberg went all 8 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 10 hits.  She walked 2 and struck out 5 batters.

After that loss - just the third in now 20 games at CSUSM Softball Field - Sandberg and her team needed to rally for game two, and they did.

Sandberg was excellent on the mound, surrendering just 4 hits in yet another complete game effort.  She walked none and struck out 2 batters to improve her record to 27-8 this season.

Azusa starter Rita Kim matched Sandberg for most of the game, but Alicia Ingram led off the sixth inning with an infield single, and Ashman jumped all over the first pitch she saw, driving a no-doubter over the fence in dead-center field.  APU hit the ball hard in the seventh, but a monster double-play turned by Shanti Poston and Erica Coelho up the middle prevented any damage.  Sandberg struck out the game's final batter to close out the win.

CSUSM has just one more home date left this season - an April 24^th double-header against Hope International starting at noon.