Fresno Pacific fell 9–3 in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader against Azusa Pacific at Dan Martin Stadium, surrendering a five-run third inning that flipped the contest and proved too large a hole to climb out of. The Cougars sent nine men to the plate in that pivotal third frame, striking first with a ground-rule double by Jacob Freer and a sharp single from Allan Camarillo. With two on and no outs, Mikey Easter launched a no-doubt three-run homer to left field, quickly giving the Cougars a 3–0 lead. That was followed by solo shots from Antonio Lujan and Elijah Cook, both of whom jumped on elevated pitches, stretching the deficit to 5–0 before the 'Birds recorded an out. Starter Josiah O'Bannon was pulled after three innings, allowing seven hits and all five runs, and tagged with his fourth loss of the season.

The Sunbirds answered immediately in the bottom of the third. Eric Wilson started the rally with a single to left, and Trent Mallonee followed with a double to nearly the same spot. A sacrifice fly by Gabe Henderson put the Sunbirds on the board, and after a wild pitch moved Mallonee to third, Adrian Martinez Jr. drove him in with a base hit. Roman Rosales then laced a double into left-center, scoring Martinez and trimming the deficit to 5–3. However, Fresno Pacific wouldn't score again. Over the final four innings, Gavino Rosales, the Cougars' senior right-hander, allowed just three hits and faced only one batter over the minimum. Rosales completed a dominant complete game performance with a 93-pitch effort, striking out six without issuing a walk.

Sunbird relievers struggled to hold the line. Sam Cooper came on in the fourth and gave up a pair of runs, including another RBI double from Camarillo and a sacrifice fly from Lujan. Austin Watson pitched to five batters in the sixth, walking two and hitting two more, both of which came around to score on a hit-by-pitch and a bases-loaded walk. Joseph Gamber finally stopped the bleeding with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief. Despite the loss, Rosales had a productive day at the plate with a 2-for-3 line including an RBI double, and Wilson matched him with two singles and a run scored. Fresno Pacific was clean defensively and turned one double play, but the Cougars' 11-hit, three-homer outburst was too much to overcome in game one. 

GAME TWO

Game two began as a tightly contested pitcher's duel, as the 'Birds exploded late to defeat the Cougars 7–1 backed by a brilliant complete game from starter Cameron Gallardo and a sixth-inning offensive eruption that left no doubt.

Gallardo was in command from pitch one, scattering just four hits across seven innings while striking out five and walking none. Gallardo induced 10 flyouts and six groundouts and worked efficiently around a single run in the second inning, which came on a sacrifice fly following a leadoff single and a passed ball.

Offensively, the Sunbirds responded immediately to that early run. In the bottom of the second, Brett Carrel reached on a fielder's choice and promptly stole second. With two outs, Trent Mallonee drove a single into center field, tying the game and setting the tone for the 'Birds' aggressive approach. The Sunbirds added another run in the fourth when Jacob Solorio led off with a double to right field, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on a deep sac fly to right by catcher Ethan Tsui, putting Fresno Pacific up 2–1.

The sixth inning is where the Sunbirds broke the game open, turning a one-run lead into a commanding advantage. The frame began with a leadoff walk to Cole Brincefield, who was replaced by pinch-runner Darryl Dilworth Jr. Following multiple failed pickoff attempts and a wild pitch, Dilworth Jr. moved to third. Solorio then singled, sending Dilworth Jr. home, but he was gunned down at the plate on a strong throw from center field. That out didn't stop the offensive momentum. Barkenhagen ran for Solorio and stole second, then scored on Tsui's RBI single up the middle. Another steal followed, this time by Carson Sandoval (pinch running for Tsui), before Carrel drew a walk to put two on.

Mallonee again came through in the clutch, this time with an infield single to the pitcher, scoring Sandoval and advancing Carrel to third. Mallonee then stole second, his second steal of the day, and Henderson followed with a walk. With the bases loaded, Martinez Jr. displayed patience, drawing a walk on a full count to force in a run. Rosales then laced a two-RBI single up the middle, scoring Henderson and Mallonee, capping a five-run inning that featured four hits, three stolen bases, two walks, and one very rattled Cougar bullpen.

On the basepaths, Fresno Pacific was electric, stealing five bases (Mallonee, Henderson, Carrel, Barkenhagen, and Sandoval), and aggressively forcing errors and rushed throws.

Despite a pair of errors, the 'Birds  allowed just one Cougar to reach third base after the second inning, and only one Cougar reached base in the final two frames.

Fresno Pacific out-hit the Cougars 8–4 and out-walked them 6–0. Gallardo's dominance stood in contrast to the Cougar bullpen, where Kyle Bender gave up five earned runs in just 1.2 innings and was tagged with the loss (2–2). The Cougars struck out five times, all coming against Gallardo, and had no answers for the Sunbirds' sixth-inning surge.

UP NEXT

The Sunbirds will finish the series against the Cougars tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for noon at Dan Martin Stadium. 

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