FRESNO, Calif.- The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds split a doubleheader on Thursday afternoon at Dan Martin Stadium, dropping a tight, 9-7 early matchup that went extra innings before responding with a 5-4 victory in the second of two of four games against the Chaminade Silverswords in the season series.
GAME ONE
In the first game of the seven-inning doubleheader, the Sunbirds battled hard but fell in a contest that featured momentum swings, defensive miscues, and clutch hitting by both squads.
The game remained scoreless through the first two innings as both starting pitchers worked efficiently. Senior Tim Ruiz took the mound and managed to keep Chaminade in check early, despite allowing some base runners. The Sunbirds' offense, however, struggled to generate any significant threats against the Silverswords.
The scoring began in the third inning when Chaminade broke through first, delivering a two-out single to left, and after a hit-by-pitch and a walk, Jackson Dorn worked a bases-loaded walk to push across the first run of the game. Fresno Pacific responded quickly in the bottom half, with Ethan Tsui knocking an RBI single through the middle to even the score at 1-1.
Both teams exchanged blows in the fourth inning. Chaminade plated two runs on a clutch two-out single from Kudell, bringing home Jake Harper and Jarin Banis. In the bottom half, Fresno Pacific roared back. Micah Barkenhagen came off the bench to pinch-hit and delivered an RBI sacrifice fly, followed by a run-scoring groundout from Jacob Solorio, tying the game at 3-3.
The Sunbirds carried the momentum into the fifth, as Brett Carrel doubled to right-center and eventually scored on another sacrifice fly from Tsui. Moments later, Gabe Henderson and Aaron Martinez Jr. executed a hit-and-run, allowing Fresno Pacific to take a 5-3 lead.
However, the Silverswords refused to back down. In the top of the sixth, Perry Ace led off with a double down the left-field line, and a string of walks loaded the bases. A hit-by-pitch forced in a run, and another bases-loaded walk tied the game at 5-5. The 'Birds turned to reliever Derek McNary, who induced a crucial fielder's choice at third base to prevent further damage, sending the game to extra innings.
The turning point came in the eighth inning when Chaminade capitalized on multiple Sunbirds errors. A routine grounder turned into an errant throw, allowing two runs to score, and an infield pop-up miscommunication led to another costly mistake, by the time the inning ended, the Silverswords had taken a 9-6 lead.
The 'Birds attempted to rally in the bottom of the eighth but was unable to string together hits against reliever Joseph Perez, who recorded the final six outs with minimal resistance.
Despite an 11-hit performance by the Sunbirds, their three defensive errors proved to be the difference-maker.
GAME TWO
After dropping the first game, the Sunbirds showed resilience in the nightcap, staging a dramatic comeback in the late innings to secure a 5-4 victory.
The early innings were dominated by pitching. Fresno Pacific's starter, Caden Gallardo, worked efficiently, limiting Chaminade's offense to just one hit through three innings. On the other side, Chaminade's Max Patterson also looked sharp, keeping the Sunbirds hit-less while working through quick innings.
The game took a turn in the fourth when the Silverswords broke through with a three-run inning. Jake Harper singled, followed by a walk to Casey Kudell. Safea Villaruz-Mauai then delivered a base hit to load the bases. A bases-loaded walk to Cade Fujii forced in the game's first run, and Alex Greb followed with a two-run single to give Chaminade a 3-0 advantage.
Chaminade added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Villaruz-Mauai, stretching their lead to 4-0. The Sunbirds needed a response, and they found it in the bottom half of the inning. After a leadoff single by Brett Carrel, Trent Mallonee followed with a single of his own. Henderson then smacked an RBI double to deep left-center, bringing in a run and cutting the deficit to 4-1. Moments later, Martinez Jr. stepped up and lined a two-run single into the gap, making it a 4-3 ballgame.
The Sunbirds would finally break through and take the lead in the sixth, starting with Roman Rosales who reached base and advanced to second on a passed ball. With two outs, the Silversword's pitching faltered, as two consecutive wild pitches allowed Rosales to advance to third and then score the tying run. A bases-loaded walk to Henderson later in the inning gave Fresno Pacific its first lead of the night at 5-4.
From there, the Sunbirds' bullpen took over. Austin Watson entered in relief and delivered 1.2 scoreless innings, closing the door on Chaminade's offense, securing the 'Birds 5-4 win in seven innings.
Game two showcased the 'Birds offense and highlighted their resiliency, overcoming a slow start to generate seven hits. Meanwhile, the pitching staff held Chaminade to just four hits and capitalized on their opponent's mistakes. The Sunbirds' ability to execute in clutch situations was the difference, earning them a hard-fought victory and a split in the doubleheader.
UP NEXT
The 'Birds will finish the series with the Silverswords tomorrow with a nine inning scheduled game with first pitch at 5pm at Dan Martin Stadium.
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