Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Fresno Pacific received a seven inning complete game from Ryan Castadio and Steven Lozier provided the offense with two home runs in a 13-2 victory to earn a split with Hawaii Pacific (30-18, 19-15 PacWest) on Friday night.

After a 12-0 loss in game one for FPU (25-19, 16-14 PacWest), Castadio came out in game two looking sharp, mixing all four of his pitches for strikes to provide the Sunbirds a much needed boost on the mound.

“Our season was on the line and Ryan did exactly what we needed him to do,” said head coach Oscar Hirschkorn.  “Ryan gave the bullpen a rest and was everything our season needed at that moment.”

The offense responded with a leadoff home run from Lozier to put the Sunbirds up 1-0 after the first frame.

Following an error by HPU that put the Sunbirds up 2-0, the Sea Warriors managed to create the only blemish on Castadio's line in the third to tie the game on a two RBI double from Marvin Campbell.

Lozier provided the difference in the game the next half inning with another leadoff blast to right field to put FPU ahead for good before the offense continued to pour in the runs in the third.

The six run third was highlighted by an RBI single from Kaohu Gaspar, an RBI double from Steven Moon and was finished off by a Kyle Coppom solo shot that hooked around the left field foul pole to go up 8-2.

The Sunbirds tacked on another run in the fourth following a Robert Chambas RBI single and plated four in the bottom of the sixth to make the final 13-2.

“Our offense was night and day from the first game,” said Hirschkorn. “I saw some guys in the batter's box really looking to be on offense instead of playing a guessing game.”

Castadio improved his record to 3-5 on the year in the four hit, eight strikeout complete game.

In game one, J.D. Salles (5-5) was handed the loss after being tagged for nine runs in four innings.

Joshua Garcia (5-3) threw a complete game for the Sea Warriors in the win, only allowing three hits while striking out three. HPU pounded out 16 hits, led by Derek Nakasato's four hits, four RBI and four runs scored.

The Sunbirds and the Sea Warriors conclude the series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at noon, with each game for FPU having major implications on a playoff berth in the NCCAA national tournament.

“It's about mentality, starting with the first pitch and sustaining it,” said Hirschkorn about the importance of tomorrow. “That's what college baseball is all about and I know we can do it.”