Waipahu, O'ahu, Hawai'i – The Fresno Pacific baseball team kicked off their week of play in Hawaii against Chaminade on Friday night. The Sunbirds had an explosive 6-0 start and maintained that lead until the third and fourth inning. It was truly a Sunbird comeback as the team made it home in the eighth to tie it up at 11, then 12, before everything went into extra innings!
The 'Birds got the party started early in the sole Friday match. Shortstop
Gabe Henderson recorded an incredible two-run homer to left center, bringing in
Holden Hirschkorn who made it to first on a fielder's choice. The good energy kept going as
Alex Lopez singled through the right side,
Tejean Smith slammed a triple down to right field, and
Brennan Johnson followed Smith's down the right line, making it 6-0 with two outs. The Sunbirds closed out the inning with six runs and five hits on three Chaminade errors.
After holding them scoreless in the first two innings, Chaminade managed to score in the third inning. With bases loaded, a single down left field brought two Silverswords to the plate. It was immediately followed by a homer to left field, allowing the the home team to take the lead for the first time that day. The Sunbirds took care of a fly out to centerfield to stop Chaminade's momentum.
In the fourth, third baseman
Aaron Martinez Jr. and first baseman
Titus Wheelock, the PacWest and West Region Player of the Week, both doubled for a RBI, bumping the 'Birds ahead 8-5. However, Chaminade responded at the bottom of the fourth with six runs and six hits to retake the lead 11-8. During that period of time,
Dylan Senneway came in for starting pitcher
Drew Petty.
Wheelock broke the scoreless streak in the sixth with a single to left field, allowing Martinez to make it home for the ninth run of the game, 9-11.
In the eighth inning, the Sunbirds loaded the bases after two walks and a hit by pitch, giving Wheelock the chance to step up to the plate and do what he does best – bring runners home. The first baseman slammed the ball to second base, allowing Clement and Henderson to tie it all up at 11. A quick pitching change by Chaminade didn't slow down the Sunbirds at all as Lopez drilled a ball through the right side to bring in Martinez to officially take back the lead, 12-11.
Racing to the finish line, Chaminade was undeterred by the 'Birds comeback as they sailed another homer to left field to tie it at 12. With the pressure on,
Cruz Cabral came in as a closer for Senneway and effectively stopped the Silverswords from scoring more runs that inning. Unfortunately for the 'Birds, the home team rallied in the ninth, capitalizing on a drop ball in right field to load the bases. The Sunbirds were quick to take care of the two back-to-back fly outs to take it into extra innings!
Both teams shut the other out in the tenth inning. It wasn't until the eleventh inning that
Darryl Dilworth Jr. singled up the middle, advanced on an error, and scored on a wild pitch to clinch the win for the 'Birds, 13-12.
NEXT UP: Fresno Pacific continues the series against Chaminade on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch is at 5 pm Pacific Time.
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