FRESNO, Calif.- The Fresno Pacific Sunbirds let a late-game lead slip away in a tense 7–5 loss to the visiting Cougars on Thursday evening at Dan Martin Stadium. In a contest defined by timely home runs and shifting momentum, the 'Birds found themselves unable to maintain control despite a dominant performance from right fielder Cole Brincefield, who smashed two home runs and drove in four of the Sunbirds' five runs.

The game opened quietly in the first inning, but the bats came alive in the second. The Cougars struck first with a pair of runs, capitalizing on back-to-back RBI doubles. They extended their lead to 4–1 in the third inning with three consecutive singles capped by an RBI knock. However, the Sunbirds didn't stay down for long. Brincefield, who was locked in all night, responded in the bottom of the second with a solo shot to left field, his first of the evening, to cut the deficit to 2–1.

The Sunbirds clawed back again in the third, as Aaron Martinez Jr. lined a base hit to center that scored Gabe Henderson, who had doubled down the left field line. With the score at 4–2 in favor of the Cougars, Fresno Pacific staged its most impressive offensive sequence in the bottom of the fifth. After a walk from Martinez and a single from Jacob Solorio, Brincefield stepped up and delivered a thunderous three-run home run to right field, his second of the game, which gave the Sunbirds a 5–4 lead and sent the Sunbird's dugout into a frenzy. 

Semone, who entered the eighth inning still holding the narrow lead, had navigated through six innings with composure despite issuing four walks and giving up eight hits, but in the eighth, fatigue caught up with the senior right-hander. The Cougars tied the game when first baseman Jacob Hayes launched a solo home run, and after a single by Diego Frey, right fielder Elijah Morgan crushed a two-run homer to left that flipped the script and gave the Cougars a 7–5 lead.

Offensively, the 'Birds had no shortage of contributors. Martinez reached base three times with two singles and a walk, also collecting an RBI on a third-inning sacrifice fly. Henderson finished 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, and lead off man Trent Mallonee reached base twice and scored a run. Despite out-hitting their opponents through the first five innings and playing flawless defense and committing no errors, the Sunbirds left seven runners stranded and failed to record a hit after the fifth inning.

Semone's final line was 7.2 innings pitched, allowing 11 hits and all seven earned runs while striking out seven. Semone was tagged with the loss, dropping his record to 3–3 on the season. Junior reliever Jacob Turley came in to record the final four outs without allowing a run. On the other side, Cougars starter David Hays allowed five runs on eight hits through six innings, but reliever Matthew Brock earned the win with a clean seventh inning, and Jake Vargas sealed the game with two dominant innings of relief, striking out five of the six batters he faced.

Though Brincefield's heroic night nearly carried the Sunbirds to victory, the eighth-inning collapse proved too much to overcome as they fell 7-5 to the Cougars. 

UP NEXT

The Sunbirds will be back at Dan Martin Stadium tomorrow for a pair of seven inning doubleheaders with first pitch of game one scheduled for 2pm, with game two to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Both games will be streamed on the PacWest Network. 

SUNBIRD SOCIAL 

X - @fpusunbirds 
Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
Facebook - /FPUsunbirds 
 

#TeamFPU