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The Official Athletics Site of the Fresno Pacific University Sunbirds

Hefner
Matlyn Peden
3
Colorado Mesa CMU 10-2
4
Winner Fresno Pacific FPU 3-6
Colorado Mesa CMU
10-2
3
Final
4
Fresno Pacific FPU
3-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Colorado Mesa CMU 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 9 0
Fresno Pacific FPU 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 3

W: Hefner, Brian (1-0) L: Frankie Fitzgerald (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Walk-Off Single in 11th Lifts ‘Birds Past #12 CMU in Series Finale

FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team picked up an extra-innings win on Saturday, defeating 12th-ranked Colorado Mesa on a walk-off single. The Sunbirds snapped CMU's seven-game win streak along the way, with junior Nick Dodd coming up with the game-winning hit.  
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: Fresno Pacific 4, #12 Colorado Mesa 3 (11 innings)
Records: FPU (3-6), #12 CMU (10-2)
Location: FPU Diamond | Fresno, Calif.
Series: CMU leads 3-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The two teams exchanged zeroes until the bottom of the fifth, when Michael Warkentin grounded out to plate the first run of the game.  
• Tristen Alvarez followed with a double down the left field line to push FPU's lead to 3-0.
 The Mavericks quickly got two of those back, answering in the top of the sixth on a two-single double from third baseman Spencer Bramwell.
 Josh Shapiro's sac fly tied the game just before the seventh-inning stretch, paving the way for extra innings after the Sunbirds failed to score in the next three innings. 
 Brian Hefner doubled to left-center to open the bottom of the 11th, and Dodd followed with a single to right to give the Blue and Orange the win.
 
STATS FROM THE DAY
• Starter Alex Garcia gave the Sunbirds 6.1 innings before giving way to the Sunbird bullpen, striking out a pair and allowing just two earned runs.    
• Garrett Cooper moved from second base to relieve Garcia in the seventh, overcoming two hits to record three scoreless frames.
 Josh Acosta finished off the 10th for the 'Birds, retiring both batters he faced to keep the game at three heading to the 11th.  
 Hefner took over on the mound in the final inning, opening the frame with his first collegiate punchout before ending the inning the same way.
 Dodd's single helped Hefner earn his first collegiate win, while CMU reliever Frankie Fitzgerald was hit with his first loss of the year.
 Hefner and Cooper were the only Sunbirds credited with a multi-hit afternoon, while Alvarez provided two of the team's four RBI.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• The Sunbirds scored a total of three runs in the first three games of the series prior to Saturday's win.   
• FPU's team ERA dropped to 2.71 on Saturday, with 12 of the 13 arms to see action sitting under 3.00.
 
 
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds are off until March 2, when they head to the Aloha State to open PacWest Conference action with a doubleheader against Hawai'i Pacific. First pitch from Honolulu is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. PST.   
 
#TeamFPU
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