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tejean smith with the home run
2
UHH UHH 10-13
13
Winner FPU FPU_26 12-15
UHH UHH
10-13
2
Final
13
FPU FPU_26
12-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
UHH UHH 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0
FPU FPU_26 4 2 3 0 0 4 X 13 13 0

W: Petty, Drew (4-4) L: Nonomiya, Mo (2-3)

3
UHH UHH 10-14
4
Winner FPU FPU_26 13-15
UHH UHH
10-14
3
Final
4
FPU FPU_26
13-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
UHH UHH 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 2 1
FPU FPU_26 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 6 3

W: Senneway, Dylan (3-1) L: Sanchez, Log (1-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Smith & Wheelock Turn the Tide in Doubleheader Victory

FRESNO, Calif. – Fresno Pacific baseball snapped their 0-5 streak and defeated Hawaii Hilo in both games of Friday's doubleheader. The Sunbirds tallied 13 runs to the Vulcans' two in the first, while ending the day with a walk-off walk and two solo home runs in the close 4-3 victory.

"I'm very pleased with the team today," said head coach Oscar Hirschkorn. "They showed a lot of fight and it was an incredible team effort. I'm also very proud of our freshmen pitchers today. Drew Petty and Zach Simmon were outstanding."
 
GAME 1 | FPU 13, UHH 2

With freshman Drew Petty pitching for the 'Birds, it was a quick one, two, three outs at the top of the first inning as the Vulcans repeatedly sailed it into outfield. Shortstop Gabe Henderson was the first big hit for the 'Birds, driving the ball past the third baseman into left field. Holden Hirschkorn and Henderson advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, while Chris Clement joined them on the bases with a walk. With bases loaded, Aaron Martinez Jr. brought in the first run with a great hit to the shortstop, making it to first before the Vulcans could throw him out. Titus Wheelock dealt a blow with a hit by pitch to score the second run for the 'Birds as the Vulcans continued to struggle in the inning. Alex Lopez's single down the middle, made it 4-0 to end the inning as the Vulcan's secured a double play.

An insane out made by Wheelock from Henderson, falling to his stomach while keeping his foot on base, was a defining moment in the second inning. However, a late Hawaii Hilo home run gave them two runs to combat the 'Birds four. In the bottom of the second, Darryl Dilworth Jr. and Eric Wilson scored to boost the Sunbirds ahead 6-2.

The Sunbirds held the Vulcans scoreless in the third, obtaining a ground out double play and catching a Vulcan runner stealing second. Second baseman Tejean Smith and Lopez returned to the bases with singles to left field and down the middle, respectively. For the second time in three innings, the Sunbirds loaded the bases, allowing Dilworth to swing for the left line for an incredible three-run double!

Despite keeping the Blue and Orange scoreless for the fourth and fifth, two additional runs were added to FPU's board along with a two-run homerun by Smith that pushed the team ahead 13-2 at the end of the sixth. The mercy rule applied at the top of the seventh, ending the first game early. Freshman pitcher Petty earned his second complete game, only allowing two runs and five hits.
 
GAME 2 | FPU 4, UHH 3

Freshman pitcher Zach Simmon was next up on the mound for FPU, dishing out a fly out to left field and two strikeouts to clear the first inning.

In the second, the Vulcans were able to score an earned run on a sacrifice fly to centerfield, due to the strikeout-passed ball situation on the runner.

For a good while, neither team was able to score. Thankfully, the 'Birds made a valiant return in the fifth with Wheelock's lead-off homer, 1-3. The first baseman's huge no-doubt hit to left center was the spark the Sunbirds needed. TJ Smith followed it up with a back-to-back home run, sailing it over the Vulcan centerfielder's extended glove!

In the sixth, Simmon collected his eleventh strikeout of the game to close out the inning, 2-3. Dylan Senneway came in as relief for the freshman in the final inning.

To end it all, Aaron Martinez singled to right field and Wheelock nipped at his heels with a single to shortstop, beating the throw to first. The 'Birds had two on base with no outs. Smith made it on base on a fielder's choice bunt, but lost Martinez at third. Hoping to get a double play, a bad throw from the Vulcan's second baseman missed the shortstop's glove at second, allowing a Sunbird to score and tie it at three.

Hirschkorn's tense at-bat was the defining factor for the Sunbirds. The right fielder battled through several balls and a strike before ending the game with a walk-off walk to bring in the final run, 4-3. The Sunbird dugout rushed onto the field to celebrate the epic win!


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