AZUSA, Calif. – For eight innings on Tuesday, the Concordia University Irvine baseball team went toe-to-toe with No. 12 Azusa Pacific in the first of eight meetings between both programs this season. The Cougars entered the non-conference matchup as the three-time defending PacWest Conference champions while the Eagles were the only other team in the league to receive first-place votes in the PacWest Coaches Preseason Poll.
 
There were lots of positives for the Eagles, but the Cougars were able to put together one good inning to earn a 5-0 win.
 
Noah McBride made his debut on the mound for CUI and was brilliant during his first three innings of work. He mowed down three different batters with a swinging strikeout including Preseason PacWest Player of the Year Osvaldo Tovalin and did not allow a hit his first time through the lineup.
 
The Cougars pieced together all five of their runs in the fourth when they gathered four hits and three walks. But with the exception of that one frame, Concordia was even with one of the top-ranked NCAA DII teams in the country.
 
Freshman pitcher Nathaniel Tapia also made his CUI debut and pitched three scoreless innings. The Santa Fe High School graduate scattered three hits, struck out two and walked only one during his time on the mound. Ryan Johnston also tossed two scoreless innings of relief and navigated his way around a pair of APU hits.
 
CUI freshman Derek Delgado was another bright spot for the Green and Gold. He collected two of CUI's three hits on the day and has now hit safely in three of his first four collegiate games. Delgado has started at third base every game so far as the Eagles look for a long-term solution at the hot corner. The departed Nick Grimes stabilized the position last year and was named All-PacWest Third Team after batting .321 before graduating last spring.
 
The Eagles are excited to hold their home opener this Friday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. against Regis University. The Rangers will be in town for four games this weekend which includes a Saturday doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. and a Sunday matinee at 12 p.m. at Eagles Field.
 
For the full CUI baseball schedule, click here.