SAN DIEGO – Fresno Pacific fell victim to a pair of slow starts on Monday, as the Sunbirds dropped a PacWest doubleheader at Point Loma. The Sunbirds fell in the opener 6-1 before suffering the day sweep by a score of 5-4 in the second game.
 
FPU falls to 20-27 overall and 15-18 in the PacWest with the two setbacks. The Sunbirds have now lost seven straight. PLNU improves to 30-16 overall and 19-13 in league action.
 
Jake Martinez took the loss in the opener despite throwing a complete game. He surrendered six runs in the first two frames, but settled down the rest of the way and only allowed two hits in his final six innings of work. He struck out one.
 
Hunter Villanueva provided the only offense for the Sunbirds with a solo home run in the fifth. FPU was limited to four hits.
 
Kellen Sheppard was the difference for the Sea Lions. The junior tossed a complete game with six strikeouts and also hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Devin Carter added two RBI for PLNU.
 
In the nightcap, the Sunbirds scored three times behind a two-RBI double from Nick Pate and an RBI single from Villanueva. The lead was short lived, however, as the Sea Lions answered with five runs in the bottom half. FPU added a run in the fourth with an RBI groundout from McKay France, but couldn't scratch across anymore the rest of the way to fall 5-4.
 
Villanueva finished 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Sunbirds, while Preston Scott collected two hits. The Sunbirds stranded six runners on base in the loss.
 
Davy Vartanian was tagged with the loss for FPU. Josh Medeles kept the Sunbirds within striking distance with a stellar outing out of the bullpen. The senior struck out eight in 6.2 shutout innings.
 
Ryan Garcia led the PLNU offense with two RBI, while Nathan Bennett earned the win on the mound in six innings of work. John Shurance picked up the save with two strikeouts in the ninth.
 
The Sunbirds wrap up the regular season tomorrow with a doubleheader against Point Loma at noon.