SAN DIEGO - Cal State San Bernardino scored two runs in the top of the ninth to come from behind and defeat the Point Loma baseball team, 4-3, and spoil an excellent start by PLNU pitcher Kellen Sheppard in the first game of this four-game series (Feb. 12).
 
Sheppard pitched the first seven innings allowing just six hits and one run while striking out six. PLNU staked him to a 3-1 lead on a Ryan Garcia sacrifice fly in the first inning, and two more runs in the second.
 
Sheppard was pulled after seven innings with 87 pitches, and the Sea Lions then turned to their bullpen. John Shurance got the nod to start the eighth. He allowed a leadoff walk which the Coyotes sacrificed to second and then scored on a two-out single by pinch hitter Spencer Bayless to cut the Sea Lions' lead to 3-2.
 
In the ninth it would be a pinch hitter again that would hurt PLNU. Warren Fishback led off the inning with triple off the left field wall and Dylan Lohman fought back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch to put runners at second and third for Jose Hernandez. Hernandez then singled up the middle to plate two and give the Coyotes their first lead of the day at 4-3.
 
Matt LeVert (1) pitched a perfect ninth with two strike outs to earn the save for Cal State San Bernardino (2-3). Ruben Rios (2-0) earned the win by striking out two Sea Lions in the bottom of the ninth with runners on second and third.  Coleman Huntley III was saddled with the loss for PLNU (3-2) after he was charged with two hits, two walks and two runs in the ninth.
 
Devin Carter was 2-for-2 with a walk to lead the Sea Lions. Garcia drove in two runs and was 1-for-3. Tyler Baker had a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Fishback was the only Coyote with a pair of hits as he went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and run scored.
 
The game should never have come down to the ninth inning but the Sea Lions failed to capitalize earlier in the game which could have extended their lead.
 
"You leave the field frustrated and feeling like you got punched in the gut because you lost late, but ultimately it is the seven consecutive zeros to end the game offensively is why we lost that game," PLNU head coach Joe Schaefer explained." We had plenty of opportunities to extend the lead and didn't get it done.
 
"It doesn't always have to come with a big hit," Schaefer continued. "It can come with a productive out and we weren't able to do that today. That is why we lose the game. We didn't execute some pitches at the end of the game but ultimately we had the chance to extend the lead in a tight ballgame and we didn't do that."
 
Point Loma will have a chance to avenge this loss tomorrow when the Sea Lions face the Coyotes in the second game of the series starting at 2:00 p.m.