The Eagles began a four game series with the Azusa Pacific Cougars on Thursday and dropped game one, 7-4.  The No. 2 team in the region, Azusa Pacific came out swinging in the first inning.
 
They struck for two runs in the top of the first, bringing in the pair on three hits off Concordia starter Mike Killeen.  A hit and an error would bring in another pair of runs in the top of the third to give APU a 4-0 lead.
 
Concordia cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth.  Taking advantage of Cougar mistakes, Haloa Dudoit drew a leadoff walk before advancing to second on a passed ball, taking third on an error by the pitcher and then scoring on a wild pitch.  Jair Donovan drew a walk in his plate appearance before eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Chad Whiteaker.
 
Azusa Pacific got those runs back and more in the top of the fifth.  After the first two batters reached, catcher Justin Gomez went deep with a three-run homerun to right center to give the Cougars a 7-2 lead.
 
Jack Ruegge took over on the mound for the Eagles in the top of the ninth and pitched a scoreless inning.
 
The Eagles did not go down quietly in the bottom half of the inning as Whiteaker drew a leadoff walk.  Dillon Millar singled to center and Dane Vande Guchte walked to load the bases.  Dominic Castro came in to pinch hit and drew a walk, earning an RBI, to give the Eagles' their third run of the game.  Millar then scored on a single by Ryan Land and that would be all of the offense the Eagles could muster in the inning.
 
Land and Dudoit each had two hits in the game as Dudoit hit safely in his fifth consecutive game.
 
The series with the Cougars continues on Friday at 3 p.m. at Eagles Field.