FRESNO, Calif.- From the first inning of game one to the final innings of the nightcap, the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (6-7 overall) displayed a much more potent offense in a doubleheader split (13-3 win, 7-6 loss) with the Holy Names Hawks (8-5 overall) in a pair of non-conference games Friday at the FPU Diamond.
 
A nine-run outburst in the first inning of game one set the Sunbirds on their way to a 13-3 victory.
 
Koutarou Matsumaru's leadoff double set the tone for eight of the first nine batters of the game to reach base.
 
Jared Aguilar singled right after that and then had a two-run double later in the frame that concluded the outburst.
 
That was more than enough for starter Justin Fuson who sailed through the first few innings unscathed before the Hawks scratched across a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to elevate his pitch count enough after five innings.
 
Fresno Pacific's offense answered back both of those scoring innings with Tommy Rover sparking a three-run fourth inning with a one-out double.
 
Payton McNair singled him home and then Dante Valdez's two-run single completed the fourth inning answer.
 
Aguilar crushed a solo-homer in the bottom of the fifth that ended up being the final run of the game.
 
Freshman Derek McNary threw four scoreless innings of relief to earn his first collegiate save and lock up the series opening win for the Sunbirds.
 
Game 2 seemed to also indicate that both offenses were out of gas as Garrett Cooper dueled with Holy Names' Eddie Curley.
 
The Sunbirds broke the seal in the fourth when Rover walked and stole second before coming in on Cole Yoshida's RBI single.
 
FPU added another run to Cooper's lead in the sixth after Matsumaru doubled to start the inning. Aguilar singled down the left field line to make 2-0 FPU.
 
But Cooper ran into trouble in the 7^th after a leadoff walk came around to score when a single into right field skipped to the fence. Holy Names promptly tied the game with an RBI groundout.
 
Holy Names took advantage of more defensive miscues in the eighth when they utilized another leadoff walk and attempted a sacrifice bunt. The Sunbirds were too late trying to get the out at second, keeping both runner on base without an out. That turned into a five run inning and knocked Cooper out of the game.
 
Fresno Pacific seemed to be out of offensive firepower as the Hawks' bullpen quickly recorded two outs and had two strikes on Andrew Valdez.
 
Instead, the center fielder ripped a 3-2 single into centerfield to prolong the inning. Miguel Ortiz and Rover both delivered 2-strike hits to continue the inning and force HNU into the bullpen again.
 
Chris Clement and Jordan Smith both continued the onslaught with RBI singles to pull FPU within one before D. Valdez singled to load the bases again.
 
But Holy Names' closer Casey Candiotti finally escaped the jam in the eighth and worked a scoreless ninth to grab the split.
 
Fresno Pacific and Holy Names will conclude the non-conference series with a nine-inning/seven-inning double header on Saturday at the FPU Diamond.
 
1^st pitch is scheduled for noon.
 
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