[Game 1 box score] [Game 2 box score]

SAN DIEGO - The Point Loma and Hawaii Hilo baseball teams split their doubleheader to open Pacific West Conference play on Friday (Feb. 15). PLNU shutout the Vulcans in the opener, 6-0, behind an outstanding performance on the mound from Tyler Garkow. UHH fell behind 5-0 in game two but fought back to earn an 8-5 win.

Point Loma is now 2-6 on the season and 1-1 in the PacWest. Hawaii Hilo moved to 2-4 overall and to 1-1 in conference play.

Game 1
Tyler Garkow tossed a complete game shutout scattering six hits to lead the Point Loma baseball team to a 6-0 win over Hawaii Hilo in the opener. Garkow (2-0) struck out six and walked just three to earn his second win of the season.

Garkow had the luxury of working with the lead nearly the entire game as PLNU put up three runs in the first inning on a bases loaded single by Bryan Burkhead. Burkhead poked a low pitch through the right side of the infield to drive in Zach Allen, who had led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. UHH's right fielder Austin Cusack fielded the ball and came up throwing, but his throw sailed into the PLNU dugout allowing the Sea Lions to plate two more runs on the play.

Allen was a catalyst for Point Loma throughout the contest as he reached base three times. He went 2-for-2 with a hit by pitch, a sacrifice bunt and two runs scored.  Clinton Harwick also collected two hits for PLNU to go along with a run and an RBI. He would give the Sea Lions an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when he perfectly executed a hit-and-run with runners at first and second to plate Allen for the second time in the game.

Dane Kinoshita (0-1) took the loss after giving up seven hits and six runs (four earned) in six innings. Greg Cleary had two hits to lead the Vulcans.

Game 2
Point Loma took a 5-0 lead on Lucas DiCiccio's grand slam in the bottom of the third inning but Hawaii Hilo continued to chip away and came back in the game to earn a 8-5 win.

For the second game in a row, the Sea Lions' bats showed up early to stake their pitchers to a lead. They put up one in the second on Jack Spohn's RBI double and then rallied for four runs with two-out in the third to take a 5-0 lead.

The Vulcans would get their first two runs on the day in the fourth on a sacrifice fly and two-out single. UHH broke out for four runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. The Vulcans would add insurance runs in the sixth and seventh on a solo home run by Samuel Kim and two-out double by Will Thayer.

PLNU attempted to mount a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh when Burkhead and Joseph Keller recorded back-to-back singles, but Vulcans' closer Richie Mariano was able to freeze Trey Hunt on an outside pitch for the final out of the game.

Seamus Yoneshiga now has both the wins on the season for UHH. He gave up five runs and four walks over his five innings pitched, but settled down nicely after yielding the grand slam to DiCiccio.

DiCiccio finished the game 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBI. Hunt and Spohn added two hits apiece for PLNU.

Kim went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored to lead UHH. Keenan Nishioki and Austin Cusack also collected two hits each for the Vulcans.

Chad Etchison (0-2) was saddled with the loss for Point Loma after giving up the go-ahead run in the fifth.

Next games
The four-game series between PLNU and Hawaii Hilo will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 16 with another doubleheader starting at 11:00 a.m.