SAN DIEGO - Point Loma received great starting pitching and critical two-out RBIs to sweep a doubleheader from Hawaii Hilo and run its winning streak to nine games. Eric Pierce and Coleman Huntley III held the Vulcans to just one run in a 3-1 victory in the opener, and then Kevin Lillicrop and Mickey Dunleavy kept Hawaii Hilo at bay long enough to let PLNU come from behind for a 4-3 victory in game two.
 
The Sea Lions are now 22-7 on the season and 10-4 in the PacWest. PLNU stands alone in second place, 2.5 games back on Dixie State (12-1 PacWest) who sits atop the conference standings.
 
Game 1
Eric Pierce (5-2) went eight innings allowing only five hits and one run, and Ryan Garcia was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two two-out RBIs to help the Sea Lions pick up a 4-1 win in game one.
 
After Pierce opened the game with a scoreless top of the first, Tyler Baker sparked the offense in the bottom of the inning. He opened the inning with a single on a 0-2 pitch and then went to third on an errant pickoff and a stolen base. He came into score on a single up the middle by AJ Derr to put PLNU up 1-0.
 
Garcia helped extend the Sea Lions' lead to 3-0 with two-out, run-scoring doubles in the third and fifth innings. A Sam Kim solo homer to center broke up Pierce's shutout in the seventh inning and cut PLNU's lead to 3-1. Joseph Keller added an insurance run for Point Loma in the bottom of the eight on a bases loaded walk and then the Sea Lions turned to closer Coleman Huntley III.
 
Huntley made it interesting by allowing a walk and a single, and having to pitch through an error as the Vulcans brought the tying run to the plate with two runners on but Huntley found a way to hold them scoreless and earn his ninth save of the season. He leads the PacWest with nine saves, and is two short of matching the PLNU season record held by Justin Marabeas.
 
AJ Derr was 2-for-4 in the contest with an RBI and two runs scored. Kellen Sheppard also had a pair of hits as the designated hitter.
 
Game 2
Devin Carter capped off a two-out, eighth inning rally for Point Loma with a bases loaded single to score the tying and go-ahead runs in  Point Loma's 4-3 comeback victory over Hawaii Hilo in game two.
 
The Sea Lions trailed 3-1 with two out and a runner at first in the eighth when, as they have done all season, they rallied. Tyler Baker had a bunt single and AJ Derr was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Ryan Garcia. Garcia knocked the ball right to the second baseman but he couldn't cleanly handle the ball allowing all runners to advance, including letting Connor Larson score, and the inning to continue for the Sea Lions. Devin Carter followed the single to left that scored Baker from third and Derr from second to give Point Loma its first lead of the game.
 
"Any offense is predicated on having runners on early in the inning but we didn't do a good job of that until the eighth inning," said PLNU head coach Joe Schaefer. "Their guy threw a good game and he didn't allow many runners. That eighth inning we competed better than we did the rest of that game and that is why we got those three runs."
 
"This team is starting to gain some confidence in themselves which is exciting to see because they are getting results out here but they are getting the belief (big things) can happen."
 
Kevin Lillicrop went out for the ninth in an attempt to throw his second straight complete game, but after the Vulcans' leadoff hitter was plunked with a pitch, coach Schaefer called in Mickey Dunleavy from the pen. Dunleavy, who has been the Sea Lions' primary setup man this season, slammed the door on Hawaii Hilo with two strikeout in a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
 
Lillicrop (4-3) earned the victory with eight impressive innings of work. He allowed all three runs in the first innings as the Vulcans jumped on the Sea Lions' sophomore. But after those first three out he settled down and pitched a great game, finishing with three runs and seven hits allowed, while striking out seven and walking just one.
 
"I told him it was one of the uglier first innings I've seen in a while, but it was one of the best 2-8 (innings) in a while as well," said Schaefer. "He did an excellent job bouncing back, settling in and doing what he need to after that. That is why he has been as good as he has been the last couple weeks; because of what he showed the rest of that game.
 
"Mickey has been our next guy in line after Coleman," Schaefer continued. "We have all the confidence in the world Mickey would do the job and he came in and proved it. He is a fifth year senior with the experience and he has pitched in big games. It was awesome to call on him in his first save opportunity this year, and it was huge."
 
Tyler Baker had two of the Sea Lions' four hits in the game, including a triple to leadoff the Sea Lions' half of the first inning and eventually came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Derr to immediately cut into the Vulcans' early 3-0 lead. Baker also scored two runs and stole a base. Carter had two RBI to raise his season total to 21. He is just one behind Garcia (22) for the team lead.
 
"It is becoming the identity of this team that they can be down late but still come back to win games," Schaefer explained. "It is almost becoming an expectation. Even down two or three late in the game we believe it is going to happen win the game.
 
"We have been telling them all year that you win a conference championship on the field but you have to have the belief that you can win a championship or it will never happen no matter how well you play out here," concluded Schaefer.
 
Chris Hubocan pitched great in the start for Hawaii Hilo. He allowed only two hits and two runs (one earned) in 7.1 innings pitched. He was hurt late by hit defense, especially at second base in the eighth inning when the Vulcans could have ended the inning on a grounder. Michael Slifer (1-3) took the loss after allowing Devin Carter's game-winning hit and an unearned run.
 
Next games
Point Loma and Hawaii Hilo will meet for another doubleheader tomorrow (Mar. 28) to conclude their four-game series. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.