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With a chance to get back to .500 in league play Fresno Pacific headed in the other direction, coming up narrowly short in two one-run losses at Vanguard on Tuesday.

The Sunbirds (19-18, 10-14 GSAC) would fall 5-4 in game one before the Lions (16-15, 7-13 GSAC) came away with a walk-off hit to defeat FPU 2-1 in the second game.

After falling behind 3-1 in the first game, Michael Rivera brought the team back with a two-run homer that capped a three-run fifth inning to put FPU ahead 4-3. The Lions, who had knocked out FPU starter Matt Mazzoni in the fourth, would respond with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to regain the lead.

The Sunbirds had a prime opportunity to tie it in the seventh, with Alan Sandoval on third base and no outs, but a strike out, foul out and ground out would end the inning. Kevin Magill singled and got in scoring position in the eighth, but two strikeouts killed the rally.

FPU went down 1-2-3 in the ninth to end it, as VU's J.R. Bromberg earned the win with more than four innings of scoreless relief. Wilson Ashford took the loss for the Sunbirds and Ryan Cheek tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

The fact that this doubleheader was a makeup for games rained out two weeks ago allowed Vanguard to throw its ace pitcher Gabriel Garcia for a second time in the series (FPU had swept a home doubleheader from the Lions last month).

Garcia threw seven innings giving up one run but FPU countered with Derek Benny, who went 5 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run. The seven-inning game went to extra innings with the score tied 1-1.

The Sunbirds put two on with one out in the top half of the eighth but couldn't get a runner across. VU then drew a leadoff walk and stole second before shortstop Bryce Arroyo singled home the winning run off Rivera.

Travis Morgan finished 2-for-2, the lone Sunbird to finish with more than one hit. Scott Laird was 1-for-3 with an RBI. The Sunbirds are back in action tomorrow at 4 pm at home, hosting Menlo in a non-conference game. The Oaks defeated the Sunbirds for the first time ever earlier this season, a 4-1 defeat on February 15 in Atherton.