IRVINE, Calif. - The Concordia University Irvine softball team salvaged a split on Saturday with third-place Azusa Pacific as the teams continue to jockey for the top spots in the PacWest Conference standings.

Game 1: APU 12, CUI 5

The Golden Eagles rallied after falling in a 7-0 hole behind Kayla Rodgers and Audrey Robles.  Rodgers reached in the third inning on a double to right-center and then scored on a RBI single by Robles to the gap in left.  Rodgers also helped CUI get another run back in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly that plated Kayla Simpson.  Simpson just barely missed a solo homer earlier that inning, as she smacked one just off the very top lip of the wall before it bounced back into play for a double.

Shelby Pfeiler supplied a boost on offense with one swing of the bat in the fifth as well. She parked a no-doubt-about-it home run over the center field wall for a three-run bomb that cut the deficit to 9-5

Unfortunately, CUI committed a season-high five errors in this contest and that helped APU build some distance on the scoreboard. The Cougars scratched together three more runs and secured the 12-5 victory in the series opener

Game 2: CUI 4, APU 1

The rematch was very different. Both teams held their opponent to goose eggs in the first four frames, and it wasn't until the fifth inning that both offenses got on the board.

The Golden Eagles built a 3-1 lead thanks to four singles and a walk in that sequence. Pfeiler led off with a single, and then Gabby Villa provided the clutch hit this time with a two-run single that plated pinch-runner Maddie Cortez and Alyssa Struthers.  Shelli Faulk added an insurance run with a RBI single of her own that inning.

Kaliya Yco later smacked a solo home run in the sixth to help give the Green and Gold some extra cushion.

CUI freshman Kacie Gossett limited the Cougars to only four hits, and the only standout swing came from No. 9 hitter Sacarah Buckner who had a solo home run for APU.

Gossett went the distance, notching her fourth complete game of the year. She improved to 9-1 on the season.

ON DECK 
Next up for the Golden Eagles is a Tuesday tango with another group of Cougars. CUI visits nationally-ranked Cal State San Marcos on April 15 at 12 p.m. for the beginning of a non-conference doubleheader. 

The Green and Gold then return home for Senior Day on Friday, April 18 against their rivals from Biola. First Pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT.

CLICK HERE for the full CUI softball schedule

CUI ended Saturday in second place in the PacWest, one game ahead of APU and three games back of first-place Biola.

CLICK HERE for the updated PacWest Conference softball standings