IRVINE, Calif. - It was a series split for the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds Saturday afternoon as they claimed the 6-1 victory in game one, only to fall in game two 6-3, splitting the series 2-2 against the Concordia University Irvine Golden Eagles.
GAME ONE
The Sunbirds wasted no time asserting their dominance, breaking through in the third inning with a three-run outburst. Darryl Dilworth Jr. ignited the rally with a single, followed by Trent Mallonee getting hit by a pitch. After Gabe Henderson flied out, Aaron Martinez Jr. delivered a clutch double down the left-field line, driving in Mallonee and Dilworth Jr. to give the Sunbirds a 2-0 lead. Moments later, Roman Rosales added an RBI single to score Martinez Jr., pushing the lead to 3-0. The early cushion proved pivotal, as the Sunbirds never relinquished control. Cameron Gallardo proved to be the backbone of the 'Birds victory, earning the win to improve to 3-0 on the season. Gallardo tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out four. Gallardo's ability to induce groundouts and flyouts, including a double play in the third, kept the Golden Eagles' offense at bay. Gallardo's 72-pitch gem set the stage for the Sunbirds' bullpen to close out the game.
Fresno Pacific continued to build on their lead in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Mallonee and Henderson set the table with singles, and Martinez Jr. drew a walk to load the bases. Jacob Solorio then ripped a two-RBI single to left-center, scoring Henderson and Mallonee to extend the lead to 5-0. The sixth inning saw Dilworth Jr. showcase his speed and opportunism, reaching on a fielder's choice, stealing second and third, and scoring on a wild pitch to make it 6-0.
The Golden Eagles avoided a shutout in the eighth inning when Tank Espalin, pinch-hitting, launched a solo home run off reliever Josh Moreno. However, the lone run was too little, too late against a Fresno Pacific squad firing on all cylinders. Moreno and Matt Bettencourt combined to close out the game, with Bettencourt allowing two hits but no runs in the ninth to seal the 6-1 final score.
GAME TWO
In game two, the 'Birds came out swinging, putting up two runs in the opening frame. Gabe Henderson drew a one-out walk and was promptly driven in by a double to right field from third baseman Aaron Martinez Jr. Jacob Solorio followed with a clutch two-out single to plate both Henderson and Martinez, giving the Sunbirds a quick 2-0 lead. Martinez Jr. stayed hot, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double, while Solorio finished with two RBI's of his own.
The Sunbirds added to their lead in the third after another Henderson single and a second double from Martinez Jr., making it 3-1. At that point, Fresno Pacific looked to be in control, but CUI slowly clawed back. Isaiah Walz tripled in a run and later scored on a well-placed sacrifice bunt by Vito Fowler to tie the game at 3-3 in the fourth.
Pitching was a roller coaster for Fresno Pacific. Starter Dalton Alford gave the team 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits before giving way to reliever Tim Ruiz. Ruiz was tagged with the loss after allowing two earned runs in the sixth. A pivotal moment came in the top of the sixth when the Sunbirds loaded the bases with no outs, only for Jordan Smith to ground into a devastating triple play, instantly extinguishing the rally.
Concordia capitalized on the momentum in their half of the sixth. After a walk and a hit-by-pitch put two runners on, a textbook sacrifice bunt and intentional walk set the table. The Golden Eagles delivered the blow with a two-run single, and a sacrifice fly extending their lead to 6-3.
The 'Birds bats couldn't respond late, and Matthew Kaiser closed out a complete game for CUI, striking out three and allowing eight hits and three earned runs. Despite equal hits between the two teams (eight apiece), timely hitting and Fresno Pacific's defensive miscues, particularly the triple play, proved costly.
UP NEXT
The Sunbirds will also celebrate the grand opening of Dan Martin Stadium Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Admission to the ribbon-cutting celebration is free and open to all fans, alumni, and community members. Then the 'Birds will take on conference rival Azusa Pacific University in a four-game series beginning Thursday at 5pm. More information on Wednesday's grand opening event can be found HERE.
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