FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team dropped the opener of a doubleheader 3-2 in extra innings on Saturday, but the Sunbirds bounced back to take the series finale by a score of 5-3. Freshman first baseman
Brian Hefner went deep twice in the nightcap to lead the offense, while
Garrett Cooper earned his second save of the year.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game 1: Holy Names 3, Fresno Pacific 2 (10 innings)
Game 2: Fresno Pacific 5, Holy Names 3
Records: FPU (7-14), HNU (10-16)
Location: FPU Diamond | Fresno, Calif.
Series: FPU leads 21-7
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• A bases-loaded walk allowed the Hawks to get on the scoreboard first, and a wild pitch pushed the HNU lead to 2-0 an inning later.
•
Trent Greene doubled off the wall in left to plate the first FPU run in the fifth, and fellow freshman
Jared Aguilar lifted an RBI-double of his own in the sixth to tie the game.
• Joshua Nelson homered to left to open the tenth, and the Sunbirds left the tying run at third in the home half.
• Hefner opened the scoring in the nightcap, launching a two-run shot over the wall in right field to give the 'Birds the early edge.
• Holy Names got the offense going, scoring in three of the next four innings to take a 3-2 lead.
• The bottom of sixth proved to be the difference for FPU, with
Michael Warkentin opening the frame with a leadoff triple to shift the momentum.
•
Tristen Alvarez tied the game with a double before a pair of balks allowed him to score, and Hefner followed with a towering homer to right to put the finishing touches on the win.
STATS FROM THE DAY
• Right hander
Justin Fuson received the starting nod in the opener, allowing just two earned runs over 6.2 innings of work.
•
Tyler Rumbaugh was the first man out of the Sunbird bullpen, overcoming a hit and a walk to record four outs on just 16 pitches.
• Reliever
Carson Schellenberg took the loss after issuing four walks and surrendering Nelson's homer over two frames.
•
Alex Garcia got the ball for the nightcap and responded by giving FPU six innings and four strikeouts en route to his second win of the year.
• Playing his third position of the series, Cooper came in from left to close out the series.
BEYOND THE BOX:
•
Christian Collins saw his team-leading eight-game hit streak end on Saturday afternoon.
• Hefner is now tied with
Ross Dodds for the team lead in home runs.
• FPU's starting pitchers combined for 27.2 innings in the series, allowing a total of just seven earned runs.
SOCIAL:
• Twitter -
@fpusunbirds
• Instagram -
@fpusunbirds
• Facebook -
/FPUathletics
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds are back in action on Friday, when they host Concordia for a PacWest Conference doubleheader. First pitch from FPU Diamond is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
#TeamFPU
