SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Azusa Pacific University Saturday afternoon at Fiscalini Field.

CSUSB was defeated 2-1 in the opener, before defeating the Cougars 13-12 in game two.

With the split, CSUSB claims the season-opening series with a record of 2-1.

Game 1 - Azusa Pacific 2, Cal State San Bernardino 1

The first contest of the day was a pitcher's duel, and neither team got on the board until the top of the fourth inning, when Azusa Pacific belted a solo home run over the left field wall.

The Yotes answered back in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double from senior Tyler Vanneste (Warman, Saskatchewan), plating classmate Adrian Hinojosa (Chula Vista, Calif.).

APU responded right away, scoring the eventual game-winning run on an RBI single up the middle in the top of the sixth.

The Yotes had runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth looking for the tying run, but were unable to push across any runners and fell short by a final of 2-1.

Junior Carter Herrera (Yucaipa, Calif.) took the loss on the hill for CSUSB, allowing just the two unearned runs over 6.0 innings pitched with six strikeouts. Classmate Conner Batzer (Ridgecrest, Calif.) looked sharp in relief to keep the Yotes within striking distance, hurling three shutout innings and striking out a pair.

Game 2 - Cal State San Bernardino 13, Azusa Pacific 12

Azusa Pacific got on the board first in the top of the first inning, posting two runs, but CSUSB got one back in the bottom of the frame on a Daryl Ruiz (Corona, Calif.) bases-loaded walk.

An inning later, CSUSB tied the score on a Vanneste infield single, bringing home senior Jason Shedlock (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) from third base.

After APU briefly took a one-run lead with a run in the top of the fourth, CSUSB exploded for six in the bottom of the frame to take an 8-3 lead. Ruiz, Shedlock, and Vanneste all recorded RBI singles in the frame, while senior Jacob Mejia (Palm Desert, Calif.) delivered the biggest blow of the inning with a no-doubt three-run homer over the right field wall.

Azusa Pacific cut into the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth, but answered with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. An RBI groundout from senior Wyatt Hall (Port Angeles, Wash.) preceded a two-run bomb over the scoreboard in right from junior Dom Dominguez (Victorville, Calif.), stretching CSUSB's lead to 11-6.

The Cougars scored four in the seventh and two in the eighth to take their first lead since the second inning, but in the bottom of the eighth, Vanneste belted a clutch two-run home run to dead center, giving the Yotes the lead right back.

Azusa Pacific threatened in the top of the ninth with a pair of baserunners, but junior Tank Rodriguez (Fontana, Calif.) slammed the door shut to earn his first save with the Coyotes.

Relief pitcher Jesse Alfaro (Moreno Valley, Calif.) got the win for CSUSB as he threw the eighth inning, recording three punchouts. 

Ruiz and Vanneste each had four hits in the win to lead the way offensively, with Ruiz finishing just a home run shy of the cycle. Junior Benji Solano (Chula Vista, Calif.) had a pair of doubles in the win as well.

Next up for the Coyotes, they will welcome Regis University to San Bernardino for a four-game set next weekend, starting on Friday at 2 p.m.