OAKLAND - Ryan Garcia's bases loaded two-run single capped off a six-run comeback in the ninth inning for the Point Loma baseball team to win the series finale against Holy Names, 11-10 (Mar. 14).
 
The victory helped the Sea Lions take the series 3-1 and evened their PacWest record at 4-4 (16-7 overall). The loss dropped Holy Names to 11-13 and 3-9 in the PacWest.
 
The five-run deficit was just part of the comeback for PLNU, which trailed 10-2 after the fifth inning. The Sea Lions chipped away with single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth before coming all the way back to take the lead in the ninth.
 
The inning began with back-to-back singles by Tyler Baker and AJ Derr, and then after an out Trey Hunt, who entered the game late, got the rally started with a single up the middle to cut the lead to 10-6. After a walk to Torres loaded the bases Sheppard singled in another run. HNU then fueled the Sea Lions' rally with an error on a Preston Sands' grounder to score two more runs and make it a one-run game (10-9).
 
The Hawks then chose to intentionally walk Tanner Handa to face Ryan Garcia with the bases loaded. That was not a good decision. The Sea Lions' second-leading RBI-man made the Hawks pay for their decision to face him by lacing an opposite field single to left-center field to drive in the tying and eventual game-winning runs (11-10).
 
Coleman Huntley III made sure there would be no comeback by the Hawks with a scoreless ninth inning for his league-leading six save of the season. Noah Huggins (1-0) earned the victory with scoreless eighth inning, while striking out two. Luis Briseno (0-4) took the loss after being charged with the final two runs. He did not record an out while giving up two hits and a walk.
 
"We have guys with heart and belief after coming back a few times this season," said PLNU head coach Joe Schaefer. "The key is we have the ingredients to make it happen. The bullpen did great late in the game and we kept chipping away until we hit our big inning. We preached getting to their bullpen all weekend and it finally happened in the final game of the series."
 
The top of the order was the offensive spark plug for the Sea Lions. Baker and Deer each collected three hits out of the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the lineup. Baker also scored three runs and each had a stolen base. Joseph Keller, Kellen Sheppard and Ryan Garcia all drove in a pair of runs for PLNU. Both Garcia and Sheppard entered the game late.
 
"It was nice to see Garcia have his best at-bat of the weekend when we needed it most," added Schaefer.
 
Trent Carrier and Dustin Zeisler paced Holy Names with three hits each.
 
Next games
PLNU will return to the Bay Area next week to face Academy of Art in a four-game series on Friday and Saturday (Mar. 20-21).
 
"We need to find some offensive consistency," Schaefer explained. "We need to have better at-bats and make them work harder. If our starters and our bullpen keep it up and we find some offensive consistency I like what this team could become."