Northwest Nazarene used the most of its few opportunities to jump up to a 2-0 lead on the strength of just 2 hits through 3 innings. However, when starter Brendan Goehner reached his limit of pitches at the end of the third inning, Azusa Pacific took advantage of the Crusader bullpen, tattooing 3 relievers for 11 hits and 12 runs. Three straight hits in the fourth inning put the Cougars up for good. Shortstop David Ayala's 1-out infield single scored Chris Ewing to give Azusa Pacific a 3-2 lead that it would never relinquish.

From that point on, the Cougars rode the pitching of junior Brian Nichols and freshman Josh Herman. Nichols, making only his second start as a Cougar, struck out 6 in just 4-plus innings of work, allowing 3 hits and just 1 earned run. When he walked the leadoff batter of the fifth inning, Herman came out of the bullpen to record 3 innings of 3-hit, shutout baseball, striking out 4 Crusaders in the process. In all, Azusa Pacific pitchers struck out 13 Northwest Nazarene batters in 9 innings of work.

Grady Sain led the Cougar offensive attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included a pair of RBIs and 3 runs. Ayala finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Senior All-GSAC first baseman John Knott extended his hitting streak to 18 straight with a 2-run home run (his team-leading 10th of the season) in the sixth inning that put the Cougars up 9-2 at the time.

Northwest Nazarene was paced by Zack DeBoi's 2-for-5 effort that produced both Crusader runs. His 1-out single up the middle put NNC up 1-0 in the first inning. DeBoi, who reached on an Ayala 2-out error in the third, then scored on Andy Heyer's line drive down the right field line, giving NNC a 2-0 lead.