Fresno Pacific received strong pitching performances and manufactured runs when it counted as the Sunbirds defeated San Francisco State by scores of 3-2 and 5-2 on Saturday to sweep the three-game series with the visiting Gators.

"Our starters were great all weekend and that gave us a fresh bullpen for the third game," said head coach Oscar Hirschkorn. "I couldn't be more impressed with the start that Jake Martinez gave us today. I thought Rickie Garcia was really good too. I thought our defense let him down a couple times but we're working through some inexperience there and it'll come. Offensively we've been working hard and did a good job overall today. We know we're better than what the numbers show. We'll continue to work toward consistently having quality at-bats. If we trust in that process it'll start to play out for us."

The Sunbirds improved to 5-3 on the season and 5-0 on their home field. SFSU dropped to 2-4.

Game 1 - Fresno Pacific 3, San Francisco State 2

Jake Martinez was in complete control of game one, delivering a complete game for the Sunbirds while scattering six hits and giving up just one earned run. The senior righty walked just one batter and struck out seven to earn the win.

Offensively the Sunbirds did just enough, taking the lead by scoring two in the third, highlighted by a two-run triple from Preston Scott. By the fourth inning FPU had chased SFSU starter Matthew Hernandez. The team took a patient approach, drawing 10 walks, but missed some opportunities to break the game open as they left 11 runners on base.

Nick Pate finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and Preston Scott went 1-for-3 with two RBI in the win. Davy Vartanian continued a hot start by drawing three walks and going 1-for-2, setting the table for the heart of the order.

Game 2 - Fresno Pacific 5, San Francisco State 2

The Sunbirds scored two in the first and three in the fifth, retaking the lead from the Gators in both innings. SFSU took an early lead after a Sunbird error in the first but Vartanian and Derek Arkelian each singled to lead off the bottom half and would come around to score after a couple Gator miscues.

Rickie Garcia made his first home start for the Sunbirds, working into the fifth inning and putting the team in position to win despite struggling with command at times. Austin Tatum got the Sunbirds out of a jam in the fifth and pitched a scoreless sixth to earn the win in relief.

The Gators chased Garcia in the fifth, taking a 3-2 lead but the Sunbirds responded with a big inning in the bottom half. Vartanian led off with a single and Scott followed with a double to put the go-ahead run on base. Pate then drilled a double down the left field line to give the team a 4-3 lead and Joey Gallegos followed with an RBI double of his own to make it 5-3.

Kyle Rasmussen got the first two outs of the ninth but hit two batters and loaded the bases before Kevin Magill froze the game's final batter for a strikeout to earn the save. SFSU's Dillon Houser suffered the loss out of the bullpen.

Vartanian picked up his second and third hits of the day, finishing 2-for-4, Scott was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored while Pate went 1-for-3 with a game-high three RBI.

FPU hosts Stanislaus State on Tuesday at 6 pm with the winner taking the season series between the two teams.