AZUSA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University started its eight game road trip on a sour note, as Azusa Pacific swept the Sharks 5-1 and 9-7 on Friday at the Cougar Softball Complex.
 
The Sharks (15-11, 9-3) made a valiant comeback in game two, scoring five runs in the seventh inning, but the rally fell two runs short as the Cougars (7-7, 4-2) collected their fourth straight win.
 
The Sharks were paced offensively in the contest by junior Brazzlyn Tovio-Asato of Kapolei, Hawai'i/University Lab, who was 2-for-4 on the afternoon with an RBI and a run scored. Freshman outfielder Noel Saunders of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City was 2-for-5 with an RBI in the second game.
 
The Sharks senior righthander Jordan Curry (10-3) of Farmington, N.M./Farmington,  recorded her ninth complete game with the loss, striking out three while allowing five runs, two earned, on four hits with three walks in the first game. In the second game, senior righthander Alexis Morales (2-2) of San Diego/Mater Dei Catholic took the loss allowing eight runs on nine hits in four innings, while striking out three and walking three. Sophomore righty Malia Torres of Danville, Calif./Monte Vista, finished the game by striking out one, walking one and allowing an earned run on two hits in two innings.
 
The Cougars collected all five runs in the first game in the second and third innings. APU got one in the second on an RBI single, then added four in the third thanks to three errors and an RBI single.
 
The Sharks collected the only other run in the top of the sixth with a pair of walks and a single that loaded the bases for Tovio-Asato's RBI single that scored one. HPU left the bases loaded in the inning and didn't score again.
 
APU's Kat Ung (2-4) got the win striking out four and allowing two hits and two walks in five innings. Megan Mejia followed allowing the one run on three hits with two walks and a strikeout in two innings.
 
In the second game, HPU took advantage of a pair of Cougar errors to grab the early 1-0 lead. But in the bottom of the inning, APU struck for five runs with a two RBI double, a two RBI single and another RBI double to claim a 5-1 advantage.
 
The Sharks got one back in the third, after loading the bases on a walk, an error and a hit batter, sophomore outfielder Ashley Iseri of Cerritos, Calif./Whitney drew a bases-loaded walk. The Cougars immediately got it back in the bottom of the third with a walk and a Racqual Espinosa's RBI double.
 
APU added two more in the fourth on an RBI double and RBI triple, and chalked up another in the bottom of the sixth on another RBI single.
 
HPU held on to the seventh, the made it interesting by plating five runs. The Sharks strung together three singles to load the bases, before sophomore centerfielder Cieana Curran of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell grounded into an RBI with an error allowing the sacks to stay jammed. Senior shortstop Tiana Cantero-Kawelo of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Leilehua collected an RBI single to make the score 9-4. Junior Sierra Dias of Mililani, Hawai'i/Bishop Gorman hit a sacrifice liner to make it 9-5, and Saunders followed with a RBI single to center making it 9-6. Thanks to a wild pitch Cantero-Kawelo scored for a 9-7 contest. But Saunders was stranded on third as a strikeout ended the game.
 
The Cougars never trailed after the first giving Espinoza (4-3) the win, hurling four innings with five strikeouts and five walks in allowing two unearned runs on one hit. Jahzell Estrada pitched 2.2 innings allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits with a strikeout and three walks. Ung earned her first save of the season, striking out the only batter she faced.
 
The Sharks and Cougars meet again on Saturday in Azusa, with the first pitch slated for 10 a.m. HST (Noon PST).
 
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