Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Game 1 - Fresno Pacific 11, Cal State Monterey Bay 4
Game 2 - Cal State Monterey Bay 7, Fresno Pacific 4 (8 innings)

SEASIDE, Calif. - FPU hammered out 14 hits in a game one victory before surrendering a three-run walk-off homer in the second game, splitting a road doubleheader with the Otters (13-17).

FPU starting pitcher Drew Merlo controlled the first game, throwing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out six and walking none. The Sunbirds backed him up with plenty of support as every spot in the lineup delivered at least one hit.

Hunter Villanueva went 3-for-5, Baron Bower was 2-for-5 with a triple and Michael Tittle was 2-for-4 with a double. John Koretoff also added two hits in the victory and Travis Beck added two RBI after pinch-hitting in the DH spot.

FPU got the scoring going in the second inning, taking a 3-0 lead. Tittle led off with a single and came across on an RBI hit by Bryan Bucher. Devin Turner delivered an RBI double and Michael Hostetler also had an RBI hit in the inning. The Sunbirds added two more in the third as Joshua Banuelos walked to lead off the inning and Tittle followed with a double. Koretoff delivered the key hit to get the first run across.

That would prove to be all the offense the Sunbirds would need as the Otters had no answer for Merlo, who improved to 2-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.78 on the season.

Game two featured four lead changes and went into extras before CSUMB's Kaden Kamoe ended it with a three-run homer off Anthony Cantu. Michael Hostetler and Bryan Bucher each went 2-for-3 for the Sunbirds. Josh Medeles took the loss after giving up two singles to start the bottom of the eighth. He surrendered four runs in 4 2/3 innings of work in relief of starter Eian Raeber, who was unable to make it out of the third inning.

Singles by Tittle and Beck had given the team a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth but the Otters would proceed to tie it up in the bottom half.

The Sunbirds (15-12) return to conference play next week, hosting an important PacWest series with NCAA Division II West Region #3 Cal Baptist beginning on Thursday at 6 pm.