AZUSA, CALIF. -- The NAIA's No. 11-ranked Azusa Pacific, which has yet to lose at home this season, kept its perfect record intact with a 7-1 nonconference victory over Hastings College, Tuesday evening in Azusa.
With the victory, the Cougars are now 17-0 at home this season, and dating back to last season, have won a program-record 22 straight in the Canyon City.
Freshman catcher Jon Sittko provided all the runs Azusa Pacific needed with his first collegiate home run, a 3-run shot in the second inning. Azusa Pacific added 2 more runs in the third inning on a Josh Olsen single that scored John Knott, followed by a Larry Long ground out that plated Justin Duarte.
That was more than enough for junior pitcher Brian Nichols, who scattered 9 hits and struck out 4 Broncos over 6.1 innings of work to push his record to 3-0 on the season.
The Cougar defense aided Nichols effort with a season-high 4 double plays.
Knott, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a third-inning single to left field. He has now hit safely in 32 of the Cougars' 33 games this season and improved his team-leading batting average to a hefty .445.
Sittko, making only his third start ever, finished the game 1-for-3 with 3 RBIs.
Hastings, which falls to 4-24 on the season, was paced by Troy Hackendahl, who was 3-for-3 at the plate and kept the game from getting out of hand. He came on in relief with the bases loaded and 1 out in the sixth and induced Brian Griffin and Olsen to pop out to get the Broncos out of trouble.
With the victory, Azusa Pacific improves to 24-8 on the season.
