WALNUT, Calif. – So far, California Baptist University has had an identical start to the NCAA Division II West Regional as it did a year ago, starting with a win and a loss.
 
After a 14-5 defeat at the hands of the second-seeded Azusa Pacific Cougars Friday night at Mt. San Antonio College's Mazmanian Field, the Lancers will look to provide a different ending to this season. They find themselves in a win-or-go-home scenario with a 31-21 record. They will start with top-seeded and regional host Cal Poly Pomona Saturday at 11 a.m. The winner will advance to the semifinal round for a rematch with Azusa Pacific (34-18) at 7 p.m. Fourth-seeded Dixie State and No. 5 UC San Diego square off at 3 p.m. Saturday with a trip to Monday's championship round on the line – the loser will go home.
 
CBU got on the board first Saturday, with the benefit of four walks and a wild pitch. Zack Norris drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a walk to Andy Crowley, to third on a grounder and eventually scored on the errant throw.
 
APU countered and scored in its first at bat before taking a 4-1 lead with three more runs in the second inning. The Cougars' offense kept coming and grabbed a 9-1 advantage with another tally in the third and a four-run fourth.
 
When it appeared hope was running out, Antonio Chavarria, who went 2-for-4 in the game, turned on a full-count pitch and blasted it toward the right-field foul pole to pull CBU within 9-4 in the fifth. Jake Gallaway and Norris reached base with leadoff walks in the inning.
 
Austen Zimarik cooled off the Cougars' offense by retiring the first seven batters he faced from the last out in the fourth inning through the sixth. APU got its offense going again in the seventh, adding one more run to its lead, before capping the scoring with four runs in the eighth.
 
With a 10-run deficit, CBU did not give up in the top of the ninth. Norris and Crowley each had one-out singles to put runners at the corners and Stephen Lohr plated another Lancer run with a single through the left side.