[Live stats] [Live video]

WHAT'S HAPPENING:
The Sea Lions baseball team will renew its longtime rivalry with Fresno Pacific as it welcomes in the Sunbirds for a four-game series starting Friday (Apr. 12) at Noon. This series will finish up on Saturday with another doubleheader starting at Noon. This will be the first meeting between PLNU-FPU in baseball as members of the Pacific West Conference after competing for many seasons as foes in the Golden State Athletic Conference. 

FOLLOW ALONG:
Both Point Loma home games will be available for fans through video stream and live stats. Fans can access the game through the Sea Lions' website at www.plnusealions.com and clicking on the corresponding links on the right side of the page. Live stats can also be accessed directly at http://www.sidearmstats.com/pointloma/baseball/scoreboard.aspx and live video at http://www.americaonesports.com/partner_members.asp?id=138.

A LOOK AT THE SEA LIONS:
PLNU dropped the finale of their three-game series with cross-town rival UC San Diego on Tuesday (Apr. 9) to fall to 17-20 on the season. The Sea Lions are currently tied with Hawaii Pacific for fifth place in the PacWest standings at 13-11. They enter the weekend trailing fourth-place FPU by one game in the standings.

Tyler Garkow has been one of the top pitchers for the Sea Lions and in the PacWest all season. He is tied for second in the league in wins (six), and is seventh in both strikeouts (46) and earned run average (2.50). He also leads the PacWest in complete games (four) and innings pitched (72.0). Garret Levsen has helped anchor the backend of the Sea Lions bullpen with a 1.65 ERA over 16.1 innings. He also ranks third in the PacWest with five saves. Justin Lawrence is also ranked amongst the PacWest leaders in strikeouts (second, 54) and opponent batting average (.221).

Tyler Nordgren leads Point Loma with a .391 batting average. He is also pacing the Sea Lions with a .473 on-base percentage. Mike Marcoux (.321), Zach Allen (.305) and Trey Hunt (.303) are all hitting over .300 for PLNU. Allen is the team-leader with 21 runs batted in and six sacrifices. Marcoux leads PLNU with 18 runs scored, 10 extra base hits and 47 total bases. Bryan Burkhead paces the team in home runs with four.

SEA LIONS SEEK PLAYOFF BERTH:
With just 13 games remaining on the 2013 schedule, the Sea Lions are in a fight to reach .500 and make the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) West Regional playoffs.  A maximum of four teams from the West will qualify for the regional. PLNU currently sits fourth behind Cal Baptist, Fresno Pacific and Arizona Christian. The Sea Lions are currently five games up on Azusa Pacific, which currently holds the No. 5 spot, but will still need to reach .500 to qualify. PLNU will close out its season with four-game series against Fresno Pacific, Cal Baptist and Holy Names, and play one non-conference game against San Diego Christian.

SCOUTING FRESNO PACIFIC:
The Sunbirds will enter the weekend at 21-13 and in fourth place in the PacWest with a 12-8 conference record. They had won six straight games before going to Grand Canyon last week and dropping three out of four games to the 'Lopes. FPU boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the league with a team ERA of 2.82. JD Salles and Wilson Ashford rank second and third in the PacWest in the ERA race, respectively. Salles has a 1.82 ERA while allowing just 50 hits in 64.1 innings pitched. Ashford is right behind him with a 1.83 ERA and a 5-1 record. Kaohu Gaspar leads the team with a .351 batting average and 10 stolen bases. Brett Bishop, who is batting .305, is the team's power threat with five home runs and 26 RBI on the season. 

NEXT UP:
Following the four-game series with Fresno Pacific, PLNU will head back up to the Bay Area to take on Holy Names beginning on Friday, Apr. 19.