May 24, 2008

(Box Score)

LEWISTON, Idaho - No. 4 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) University pitcher Jonny Bravo threw a complete-game holding down No. 9 Ohio Dominican University (40-16), 9-2 in the loser's bracket of the 52nd annual AVISTA-NAIA World Series. Azusa (46-11) advances and will take on the loser of No. 2 Oklahoma City and No. 7 Spring Arbor (Mich.) with first pitch at 8:30 a.m. PST on Monday, May 26. ODU is eliminated with the loss in front of 610 fans at the opening game of Day 2.

Bravo, who entered the contest with a 6.35 ERA, gave up just two runs on eight hits. He fanned 11 batters and walked just two. Moving to 9-1 on the season, he retired nine of the first 11 batters that he faced. At one point, he whiffed three straight Panthers and five overall during that stretch.

APU provided early run support for Bravo handing him a comfortable lead. The Cougars, who improve to 10-9 in its fifth World Series appearance, did all its damage at the plate in the first four innings. After plating an unearned run in the first inning, APU put two more across an inning later. Drew Evans doubled to make the score 2-0 and two batters later, Ryan Dowell singled him home.

Ohio Dominican starting pitcher could not escape the third frame as he was chased after Evans walloped a three-run drive over the left-field fence. That blast, his 13^th on the year, pushed the lead out to 7-0 in the third inning.

Down 9-0 heading into the sixth, Joe Janusik got Ohio Dominican on the board on a run-producing single to right. He drove in Venson Doster, who reached via a lead-off single. Then, Felix Brown came home on a Germaine McAlpine grounder. The first four batters reached base in the two-run inning.

ODU's bats were stifled in the late innings by Bravo as he did not allow a base runner past first. He ended the way he started by taking down nine of the final 11 batters and finished with 145 pitches.

Brice Cutspec led the Azusa hitters going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Doster and Janusik each posted two hits for the Panthers.

Colopy was hit with the loss dropping to 11-2 on the year. He allowed seven runs, just two earned, on five hits in 2.2 innings.

The Cougars have proved their offensive-worth in the World Series. In seven of their last eight games, APU has scored at least seven runs as it has gone 5-3 in those contests.