FRESNO, Calif.- Griffith Fenn delivered in a dream scenario to complete a three-run comeback after Sam Cooper shut the door in relief and the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (4-2 overall) took the series with a walk-off 5-4 win over the Sonoma State Seawolves (5-3 overall) Saturday afternoon at the FPU Diamond.

Fenn's stinging line drive down the opposite way down the third base line with the bases-loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth won in a game that the Sunbirds never led until the final pitch.

FPU trailed from the third inning on, and didn't have a base runner until the fourth, before the offense got rolling in the last half of the game.

But that was only possible because of the relief work from Sam Cooper, who tossed three scoreless innings and stemmed a string of walks that had plagued the Sunbirds in the series.

While the 'Birds didn't score until the fifth, Sonoma State's instigators at the top third of their lineup combined for a run in the third against FPU starter Rylan Tinsley.

They clogged up the bases again, chasing Tinsley in the fifth, before freshman Matt Bettencourt induced a double-play. But a pinch hit double pushed the Seawolves lead to 3-0.

In the bottom of the inning, FPU finally found a way on against Sonoma State starter Blake Janowicz, as Donte Valdez was hit by a pitch.

Valdez stole second and advanced to third on a grounder before Justin Tiger's sacrifice fly got FPU on the board.

Sonoma State got that run back in the 6^th after a pair of singles sandwiched a walk.

Walks proved costly for the Sunbirds pitching staff, who walked 9 in the game and 22 over the weekend.

But Cooper entered in the 7^th and only issued one walk over his three innings silenced Sonoma States offense for the final third of the game.

That opened the door for the FPU offense as Gabe Henderson singled in a run in the 7^th and forced out the Seawolves starter.

Jacob Solorio drove in another in the 8^th.

The 'Birds tied the game on Tiger's sacrifice fly that plated Fenn in bottom of the 8^th.

There were quickly two outs in the bottom of the 9^th, before Chris Clement singled through the left side to continue the inning. Andrew Valdez quickly roped a ball into center field before Cole Brincefield was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Fenn.

Fenn took a ball and fouled off a pitch before delivering the game-winner to give FPU its second straight series victory over a CCAA program to open the series.
The Sunbirds now turn their attention to the PacWest, hosting defending conference champion Point Loma Friday and Saturday for a pair of double headers on the FPU Diamond.

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