Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

Jesse Darrah and Matt Mazzoni continue to provide #15 Fresno Pacific with a quality 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. On Tuesday the duo was at it again, baffling opposing hitters as the Sunbirds swept visiting #8 Point Loma Nazarene, winning both games by scores of 6-1.

The Sunbirds, who have won 10 of their last 11 games, improved to 13-5 in GSAC play and are just percentage points behind 11-4 Biola for first place in the conference.

Darrah went the distance in game one, giving up just three hits and an unearned run while striking out six. He's been in the zone of late, having not allowed an earned run in his last 21 innings pitched and being named NAIA Pitcher of the Week earlier in the day.

Karlan Andrews helped pace the offense with five hits on the day. Trent Soares and Andrew Douglas each added four.

The Sunbirds actually trailed 1-0 after an error on a double play ball allowed PLNU to get a run across in the 5th. FPU would get to Sea Lion starter Garrett Levsen in the bottom of the 6th though, scoring six runs during a two-out rally.

With two outs and no runners on, Alec Mehrten drew a walk which was followed by consecutive singles from Andrews, Michael Vaughn and Soares, the latter of which gave the team its first lead of the day.

Things began to open up after that as Scott Laird smoked a double down the line to make it 3-1 and Andrew Douglas delivered a similarly-hit bases-clearing double two batters later. Douglas' hit came with the bases loaded after PLNU's Chris Gonzales had come on in relief.

That 6-1 score would hold to the end as Darrah finished out the game with little trouble and would improve to 5-1 with the win. Levsen took the loss, dropping to 2-5.

The Sunbirds once again fell behind in the second game, leaving two runners in scoring position in the first before Rashad Taylor gave PLNU a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the second. The Sunbirds would tie it up in the fourth when Douglas drove a double to deep right and later scored on a deep fly by Tyler Pryor.

Once again the Sunbirds would use the 6th inning to take control of the game. PLNU starter Kelsen Boyer had been effective through five, but was relieved by lefty Josh Dexheimer. Singles from Douglas and Pryor got the rally started and FPU would take the lead on a sacrifice bunt by Mehrten, scoring Douglas.

Michael Rivera would follow with an RBI single and Soares added a 2-RBI hit later in the inning to put the team up 5-1. Relievers Aaron Kirkpatrick and Rivera would hold the lead, while Vaughn controlled PLNU on the basepaths all day.

The Sunbirds (19-9, 13-5 GSAC) now travel to San Diego to try to duplicate today's efforts on the road. The Sea Lions (11-13, 6-11 GSAC) will host FPU for a Saturday doubleheader beginning at noon.