Box Score 1
Box Score 2

Fresno Pacific split a doubleheader at San Diego Christian on Thursday, blowing a late lead in the first game to fall 11-8 before coming back to win game two 5-1.

The Sunbirds are now 16-13, 7-9 in GSAC play. The Hawks (8-10) are also two games below .500 in league play.

Robbie De La Cruz got the Sunbirds on the board in the first game, leading off the second inning with a solo blast to right. FPU would extend the lead with a five-run fifth inning that featured doubles by Matt Fox, Karlan Andrews and Alec Mehrten, and RBI singles by Kevin Magill and Scott Laird.

The Sunbirds tacked on another in the top of the sixth to go up 8-3 but things began to unravel in the bottom half of the inning. The Hawks had just one on with two outs but would proceed to string together walks and hits to put up six runs in the inning. Shortstop Chris Pascual belted a three-run homer to highlight the inning as the Hawks took a 9-8 lead.

Matt Mazzoni's final line as the starter was 5 2/3 innings with five earned runs and eight strikeouts. Aaron Kirkpatrick was hit with the loss out of the bullpen.

FPU, which made three errors in the game, was still within striking distance but went down quietly in the ninth to end it. Every Sunbird starter had a hit in the loss, with Alan Sandoval and Michael Rivera recording two hits apiece.

With the team desperately needing to avoid a sweep, Derek Benny stepped up in game two to deliver his best outing of the season thus far. The Sunbird righty went seven innings for a complete game, giving up just three hits and walking just one while striking out seven.

He would get all the run support he would need in the third inning as Andrews led off with a double and scored on a wild pitch. Sandoval, who singled and would finish 2-for-4, also scored on a wild pitch to put FPU up 2-0.

The Sunbirds added three more in the sixth, capped by a two-run triple from Steven Lozier. Calvin Chambers took the loss for the Hawks, giving up five runs in five innings.

FPU faces San Diego Christian at 11:00 am on Saturday for a doubleheader in Fresno.