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

SAN DIEGO - Point Loma head baseball coach Joe Schaefer challenged his team to come out and sweep Saturday's doubleheader from Hawaii Hilo, and the Sea Lions responded with a 2-0 victory in game one and a 6-4 win in game two.

The sweep moves PLNU to 4-6 on the season and 3-1 in its first season in the Pacific West Conference. The losses drop UHH to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

Game 1
Justin Lawrence dominated Hawaii Hilo in game one, holding the Vulcan to just two hits and no runs while striking out nine en route to the complete game shutout. Lawrence set down the first nine batters of the game in order and never allowed a runner past second base or two runners in any inning to earn his first win of the season.

PLNU staked Lawrence to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Kyle Desimone doubled in Bryan Burkhead. Zach Allen would add an insurance run for the Sea Lions in the fifth when he singled in Tanner Handa.

Lawrence would make the 2-0 seem nearly insurmountable to Hawaii Hilo as he set down 12 of the final 14 batters to end the game.

"(Justin) was outstanding today," said coach Schaefer. "He and Tyler Garkow are roommates and I think they are trying to out-duel each other on the mound for role of staff ace.

Just like Garkow yesterday, (Lawrence) gave us everything we needed today," continued Schaefer. "We needed him to pound the zone and miss bats, and he did that all day."

Jeremy Dela Cruz (1-2) took the loss for UHH. He gave up five hits and two runs over five innings pitched.

Game 2
Bryan Burkhead had three hits and two RBI, including a home run, to help lead the Sea Lions over the Vulcans in game two 6-4.

Sebastian Santos (1-0) got the start for PLNU and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs while striking out three. The Vulcans had multiple chances to score more runs off Santos early in the game but he found a way to limit the damage.

"Santos was coming back on short rest from a start earlier this week and we knew we had a full bullpen to utilize after Lawrence's performance in the first game," said Schaefer. "He kept guys off-balance and worked out of some jams. He spread out a few more hits than we would like but he limited the damage."

Hawaii Hilo final knocked Santos out of the game with two outs in the fifth inning, after he walked Brad Fairweather to load the bases. Coach Schaefer then went to his bullpen and called on Sam Sadler. Sadler entered the game with no room for error and got Greg Cleary to fly out to center field to end the threat.

Sadler would come back and toss a scoreless sixth before handing the ball to Garrett Levsen for the final three out. Levsen delivered a perfect inning, with one strikeout, to earn the Sea Lions' first save of the season.

"The most exciting thing for me was guys coming out of the bullpen and doing their jobs extremely well in game two," Schaefer explained. "We have needed it for a few weeks, and we got it today."

PLNU put up one run in the first with a two-out rally that culminated in Lucas DiCiccio drawing a bases loaded walk to score Joseph Keller. After UHH scored two in the top of the second, PLNU answered with three runs in its half of the inning as Burkhead and Clinton Harwick both delivered run-scoring singles, and AJ Derr scored on a throwing error to go on top 4-2. Point Loma would add two insurance runs in the fourth on a solo home run by Burkhead and a RBI-single by Lucas DiCiccio.

"The goal every week in conference is to win the series," explained coach Schaefer. "If you can mix in a sweep that is awesome but ultimately we are trying to win every series in conference, especially at home."

Next game
Point Loma will step out of conference for its next contest as Bethesda comes to Carroll B. Land stadium for a single, nine-inning game on Wednesday (Feb. 20) at 2:00 p.m.