FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team picked up a PacWest Conference victory on Thursday night, winning the back end of a doubleheader with a walk-off balk after dropping the opener 11-8.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Game 1: APU 11, FPU 8 | Game 2: FPU 3, APU 2 (8 innings)
Records: FPU (7-5, 4-2 PacWest), APU (18-2, 8-2 PacWest)
Location: FPU Diamond | Fresno, Calif.
All-Time Series: FPU leads 30-29
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GAME 1:
• FPU starter
Esteban Lizaola struck out the side in the first inning before the Sunbird offense took advantage of a couple errors to get on the scoreboard first.
• The Sunbirds jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but APU pulled even with a grand slam to tie the game in the fifth inning.
•
Eddie Sievers and
Braden Frankfort each gave the 'Birds an RBI in the sixth, but the Cougars stormed back in the sixth to take their first lead of the series.
•
Derek Arkelian got the run back with a sac fly in the home half to pull the home nine even at 7-7.
• The APU offense came alive over the next two innings, racking up four runs, including a pair of long balls.
• FPU scratched a run across in the final frame, but the Sunbirds would get no closer.
• Frankfort and
Jarrett Anton each finished with a three-hit game, while Sievers and
Tristen Alvarez also added multi-hit performances.
• Lizaola was touched up for seven runs over 5.1 innings of work before giving way to the bullpen, striking out eight along the way.
•
Kobie Anton and
Carson Schellenberg combined for the next 1.2 chapters, holding the Cougars off the board.
•
Jonathan Molina was the final man out of the FPU pen and was hit with his first loss of the year after allowing four runs over two frames.
GAME 2:
• APU jumped out to a 2-0 lead, forcing FPU starter
Josue Mendivil to labor through the second inning.
• Frankfort doubled down the left field line in the third to get the Sunbirds on the scoreboard, and
Tristen Alvarez tied the game after beating a close play at the plate two innings later.
• The Sunbirds loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, and APU's John Szczesny balked in the game-winning run.
• Dillon Miyashiro gave the Cougars six strong innings on the bump, allowing just two runs while fanning eight.
•
Kobie Anton took home the win after tossing four shutout innings, giving him the first victory of his FPU career.
ON DECK:
• The Sunbirds and Cougars wrap up the series with another doubleheader on Friday afternoon, with both games scheduled for nine innings. First pitch from FPU Diamond is slated for 12:00 p.m.
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