AZUSA, Calif.--After three games of watching host Azusa Pacific circle the bases, visiting Hawai`i Hilo finally found a way to cool off the hot Cougar bats on Saturday at the Cougar Baseball Complex.

It didn't happen in the first game of the doubleheader (and the third game of the series), as the Cougars continued their bashing ways during a 17-2 win. But in the nightcap, the pitching combo of Dylan Spain and John Kea came the closest to stilling the APU bats during a 3-1 loss. 

It still comes out as a Cougar sweep, after the defending conference champion and No. 20 nationally ranked APU improved to 20-9 on the season and to 10-2 in the Pacific West Conference. The Vulcans, who won three of four games at Concordia before arriving in Azusa, will return to Hawaii with a 10-15 overall mark and an 8-10 record in the PacWest.

After dropping the first two games of the series on Thursday (10-2) and Friday (22-0), Saturday's first game had a familiar look to it. The Cougars rapped out 19 hits during the 17-2 win and scored seven times in the fifth inning. Joseph Kim went 4-for-4 and Cole Kleszcz was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a home run. 

The Vulcans had just seven hits in the contest (all singles), two of them by Mana Manago. Otherwise, APU's Nick Estrella was a tough nut to crack for the Vulcans as he threw six shutout innings and gave up only four hits to improve to 5-0 on the year. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter. After he left the game, the Vulcans put two runs on the board when Manago singled and Rustin Ho brought him home with a hit. Chris Aubort singled home Ho. 

The second game had a completely different look. Spain, make his first appearance in nearly a month, was on a strict 30-pitch count. He put the Cougars down in order in the first inning, but gave up a lead-off home run in the second inning to Griffen Herrera. After a single, walk and a strikeout, Spain's work was done. He gave up just the one hit and fanned three batters in 1.1 innings.

Meanwhile, the Vulcan offense produced sparks in the first two innings but no runs. Kyle Yamada led off the game with a double, but was stranded. In the second inning, the Vulcans loaded the bases but couldn't score.

Kea came in for Spain and kept the Cougars off the board through the fourth. In the top of the fifth of the seven-inning game, UH Hilo tied the contest. Yamada walked and Dylan Sugimoto doubled---only to see Yamada thrown out at home plate. RJ Romo followed with a base hit to bring home Sugimoto make the board read, 1-1.

Heartbreak struck the Vulcans in the sixth. Joe Quire doubled to lead off the inning, and Herrera followed with his second home run of the game to give the Cougars a 3-1 lead. The Vulcans were not done yet though. In their last chance (top of the seventh), Mikey Rita led off with a walk, Yamada followed with a base hit and one out later, Romo walked to load the bases. That brought Hayden Jorgenson out of the bullpen for the Cougars, and he got the final two outs of the game to quench the rally.

Yamada was 2-for-2 in the second game, with two walks and a double. Kea took the loss, after cruising through the first 3.2 innings. Other than the fateful sixth inning, Kea gave up just one hit, no walks and fanned five.

The Vulcans now return to Hilo to host Academy of Art in a four-game series this Thursday-Saturday (March 28-30).