HILO, Hawai'i - The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds kept it rolling Saturday with another pair of wins over the Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans to secure the sweep, taking the series 4-0. In the series, the Sunbirds outscored the Vulcans, 42-5, showcasing their offensive firepower. The game two win was a monumental milestone moment for Sunbirds baseball, as head coach Oscar Hirschkorn notched his 500th win in charge of the Sunbirds.  


GAME ONE

Behind an explosive offensive showing, and stellar outing from starting pitcher Connor Semone, the Sunbirds overwhelmed the Vulcans from the outset and never looked back in game one. 

The 'Birds bats were red-hot, collecting 14 hits, including three home runs. Micah Barkenhagen, Chris Clement, and Trent Mallonee all went deep, highlighting a relentless offensive attack. The Sunbirds struck early, scoring twice in the second inning on an RBI single from Tejean Smith and a run-scoring hit from Gabe Henderson. Clement added to the lead with a solo home run in the third, and a two-run fourth inning put them ahead 5-0

The fifth inning proved to be the turning point, as the Sunbirds erupted for seven runs. Mallonee launched a two-run homer before Barkenhagen delivered the biggest blow—a towering three-run shot to left field. By the time the dust settled, Fresno Pacific had a commanding 12-0 lead. They tacked on one more run in the seventh for good measure, rounding out a complete offensive performance. 

The Vulcans' lone run came in the fifth inning off a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly. Aside from that brief moment, Hilo struggled to generate any offense, as they finished with just four hits on the day.

While the offense stole the spotlight, Connor Semone was equally dominant on the mound. The right-hander tossed a complete game, allowing just four hits and one earned run over seven innings. He struck out five, walked one, and needed only 69 pitches to secure his second win of the season. Semone kept Hilo off balance with pinpoint control and efficient pitch selection, inducing weak contact throughout the game.

The game ended in the bottom of the seventh, as the 'Birds run-ruled the Vulcans 13-1 to take their third straight victory. 


GAME TWO

Behind a dominant fourth-inning rally and stellar pitching, the Sunbirds powered their way to an 8-1 victory in game two, sweeping the series for the 'Birds. 

The game began with both offenses struggling to gain traction. Fresno Pacific had an early opportunity when Chris Clement singled in the first inning, but they failed to capitalize. Meanwhile, Hilo managed to break through first. The Vulcans led off the bottom of the first with a single, later advancing to second on a walk. With two outs, Noah Lane delivered a clutch RBI single to left field, putting the Vulcans ahead 1-0. The home team had another chance to add on with a walk to load the bases, but a flyout to right field ended the inning.

From there, Hilo's offense was silenced, as Fresno Pacific's pitching staff took complete control. Starter Sam Cooper faced early trouble, giving up two hits and two walks in just 0.2 innings before being pulled for Dalton Alford, who immediately settled things down. Alford dominated through 5.1 innings of work, allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out four. His efficiency kept the Sunbirds within striking distance as the offense looked to get going.

After three scoreless innings, the 'Birds finally broke through in a massive way in the fourth. Trent Mallonee started the rally with a single, followed by a walk from Aaron Martinez Jr. After a flyout, Roman Rosales lined an RBI single to right field, tying the game at 1-1. Moments later, Tejean Smith came through with a two-run single up the middle, giving Fresno Pacific its first lead of the night at 3-1. 

The rally continued as Ethan Tsui singled to put two runners on, and Gabe Henderson worked a walk to load the bases. Chris Clement then drew another walk, forcing in a run and making it 4-1. With the bases still full, Mallonee came up for the second time in the inning and delivered a crucial infield single, pushing across another run. The biggest blow of the inning came from Martinez Jr., who ripped a three-run triple down the right-field line, clearing the bases and capping off the massive eight-run inning. By the time the dust settled, Fresno Pacific led 8-1, completely flipping the game's momentum.

With a commanding lead, the Sunbirds relied on their pitching and defense to close things out. Alford continued to cruise through the middle innings, retiring nine straight batters at one point. He handed the ball off to Watson in the seventh, who worked a quick, scoreless frame to secure the victory. The Sunbirds' defense was flawless, committing no errors while turning a key double play to stifle any potential Hilo comeback attempt as the 'Birds won 8-1 in seven innings. 

Hirschkorn's 500th win is also FPU baseball's 500th, as Hirschkorn has led the Sunbirds since the program's inception in 2006.  The FPU baseball program has an all-time win percentage over .500, nine postseason appearances, and won back-to-back National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) World Series in 2014 and 2015.


UP NEXT

The Sunbirds head back home to Dan Martin Stadium to begin a four-game series with the Westmont Warriors starting with a doublheader on Friday.  First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2pm.  The series will be simulcast on the 790 ESPN and the PacWest Network.

 

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