RIVERSIDE, Calif.  – The Fresno Pacific University baseball team dropped the series finale against 25th-ranked California Baptist on Saturday, falling 6-4 on the road against the defending PacWest Conference champions.  
 
The Sunbirds struck first for the third time in the series, but the Lancers answered with a two-run bottom of the first to take their first lead of the afternoon. The home team added a run in the fifth before FPU scratched across a run a half inning later to cut the deficit back to one.
 
Braden Frankfort opened the seventh with Fresno Pacific's first home run of the year to tie the game at 3-3, his first clutch at-bat of the day. An inning later, Frankfort delivered again, singling through the left side to plate Eddie Sievers and give the Sunbirds a late 4-3 lead.
 
The wheels fell off for the FPU pitching staff in the bottom of the eighth, as the first five Lancer hitters of the inning all reached base. When the dust settled, CBU had taken a 6-4 lead into the final frame, and reliever Seth Kaneen was able to hang on for the third Lancer victory of the series.
 
Starter Josue Mendivil turned in his longest start of the year for FPU, surrendering three runs over 5.1 innings before turning things over to the bullpen. Tyler Rumbaugh was the first reliever of the day, allowing one run over the next 1.2 innings.
 
Closer Matt Bergandi took the loss for the Sunbirds after failing to record an out through four batters. Carson Schellenberg followed with back-to-back punchouts before southpaw Nic Garcia recorded the final out of the game against CBU hitting.
 
CBU righthander Logan Rinehart received a no decision despite no-hitting the Sunbirds for the first five innings of the game. Rinheart tossed two more before paving way for Kaneen, and the latter was credited with the win after the offensive outburst in the home eighth.
 
Offensively, Frankfort drove in three of FPU's four runs, and he and Tristen Alvarez combined for four hits on the afternoon. Lancer catcher Bryce Macy paced his squad with a 2-for-4 effort that included a double and a pair of RBI.
 
Fresno Pacific will return to action on Tuesday, when they host Cal State Monterey Bay in non-conference action. First pitch from FPU Diamond is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.