FRESNO, Calif.-Free passes swung both games as the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (2-1 overall) won 4-1 in the 9 inning game before falling 5-3 to the Western Oregon Wolves (1-2 overall) in the 7-inning Friday night at the FPU Diamond.

Garrett Cooper delivered a stellar start and Jared Aguilar delivered a solo blast and caused the go ahead run as FPU almost duplicated its pitching and defensive combo from the night before.

Cooper pitched 6.1 innings and allowed only an unearned run in the 2^nd inning to set up FPU for success.

Aguilar's 3^rd inning homer quickly tied the game where it remained 1-1 until the 5^th inning. Aguilar's homer came after a double-play that seemed to quelch and FPU rally but quickly invigorated the dugout as the ball bounced off of the light pole in left center field.

Western Oregon starter Arturo Alvarez had induced three double plays in the first four innings before FPU got to him in the 5^th.

Jordan Smith led off the frame by drawing a walk, moving to third on Koutarou Matsumaru's double. Aguilar then drew Smith home on a hard hit ball that was misplayed by the Wolves' infield. Andrew Valdez added another run with a sacrifice fly to score Matsumaru.

The 'Birds added an insurance run after Cole Yoshida walked to start the 6^th , stole second, and scored on Matsumaru's infield single.

Riley Creech came on in relief in the 7^th, stranding two runners and recording two outs before finishing off the final two innings to earn the save.

Matsumaru started the 2^nd game of the double-header with a double and quickly scored to give FPU the 1-0 lead after one inning.

But Western Oregon found its formula and grinded out at-bats and innings, tallying a single run in five straight innings, capitalizing on 5 walks and 5 hit batters.

The Wolves did their damage on the bases as well, tallying four stolen bases in the game and capitalizing on four wild pitches by Fresno Pacific pitchers.

WOU starter Chris Hardin became more difficult to hit as the Wolves gave him run support but FPU finally started to find some offense in the bottom of the 6^th.

Matsumaru was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Aguilar singled to put runners on the corners. Donte Valdez would walk to load the bases and then two runs came across after Tommy Rover was hit by a pitch and then Chris Clement walk.

Western Oregon went to the bullpen in the nick of time as Ryan Shipley escaped the one-out jam and kept Fresno Pacific scoreless in the 7^th, handing the Sunbirds their first loss of the season.

Free passes proved to be the difference as Fresno Pacific surrendered more walks (5) and hit batters (5) than they did in the first two games combined (4 and 1).

The Sunbirds will go for the series victory when the four-game set concludes Saturday with a single nine-inning game beginning at noon on the FPU Diamond.

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