FRESNO, Calif.-Missed chances piled up as the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (11-11 overall, 7-9 PacWest) left too many runners on base in 9-2 and 7-6 losses to the Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans (14-16 overall, 7-9 PacWest) Saturday afternoon at the FPU Diamond.

Fresno Pacific threatened most of the afternoon against the Vulcans but couldn't get enough key hits to salvage a series split with Hilo despite outhitting the guests on the day.

Hilo broke a scoreless game in the third inning of the first game, capitalizing on a leadoff walk and an error on a sacrifice bunt.

Consecutive doubles gave the Vulcans a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.

The Vulcans added four more in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a pair of hit batters and a walk before a two-run single cashed in those runs.

Hilo added two more in the inning to make it 7-0.

The Vulcans added a run in the fifth to lead 8-0 before FPU scored behind a leadoff single from Trent Mallonee.

Mallonee finally got FPU on the scoreboard, after the Sunbirds had left a few opportunities stranded, by scoring on a wild pitch.

Hilo got that run back with a solo homer in the top of the sixth to push the scoreline to 9-1.

Ethan Tsui started the bottom of the ninth with a single and came around to score on Gabe Henderson's RBI knock.

The 'Birds put two more on the corners in the 9^th but couldn't cash in, leaving 11 stranded on the bases in the game.

In game two, Hilo raced out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first behind a two-run double and a two-run homer.

Fresno Pacific responded in the bottom half of the inning when Donte Valdez's two-run triple put pressure on the Vulcans. Valdez scored when Josh Pernetti reached on an error to extend the inning.

Jordan Smith doubled in Pernetti to tie the game at 4-4.

Riley Creech entered in relief in the 2^nd inning and quieted the Hilo bats with a 3-up, 3-down inning.

Hilo regained the lead with a solo homer in the third before FPU answered behind a two-run single from Mallonee to take the lead at 6-5.

Hilo scratched across an unearned run in the top of the 4^th to tie it and the game remained deadlocked at 6 into the 7^th inning.

The Vulcans pushed across a two-out hit to take the lead 7-6 heading into the bottom of the inning.

Justin Tiger reached base with one out in the inning and advanced to second on a Mallonee single into right field.

After a fielder's choice put the tying run on third and the winning run on first, a flyout ended the game and furthered FPU's frustrations with runners left on base.

The 'Birds left 20 runners on base in the two Saturday games and had the winning run at the plate in the first and fourth games of the series.

Fresno Pacific will hit the road next week for a non-conference series against a conference foe, traveling to Irvine to take on Concordia on Friday and Saturday.

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