SAN DIEGO -
Ryan Garcia and
Devin Carter each scored a pair of runs and drove in another to help Point Loma defeat Fresno Pacific 5-4 in Saturday's nightcap to salvage the final game of the four-game series while Coleman Huntley set the school-record for saves in a season. The Sea Lions dropped the opener 6-1.
The Sea Lions (31-10) are still tied for second in the PacWest standings with California Baptist at 17-7 after CBU and APU split their four-game series. Both teams remain three games back of first-place Dixie State (20-4 PacWest). PLNU and CBU will meet in a four-game series next weekend (Apr. 23-25) at Point Loma.
Game 1Baron Bower continued to terrorize the Sea Lions in the series as he homered, drove in three runs and scored twice to help Fresno Pacific win game 1 on Saturday, 6-1.
Eian Raeber stifled the Sea Lions' bats for the second game in a row. He allowed six hits and just one run in 5.2 innings pitched while walking six and striking out two. He gave way to Josh Medeles in the bottom of the sixth after PLNU had rallied for one run and still had the bases loaded.
Tyler Baker battled him in an eight-pitch at-bat but eventually Medeles won the battle with a strike out. He went the final 3.1 innings without allowing a hit while striking out four to pick up his fourth save of the season.
That was huge moment in the game as Baker entered the at-bat with hits in his last three at-bats. He had three of the Sea Lions six hits in the game.
Kellen Sheppard (4-1) was saddled with his first loss of the year after he was charged with seven hits and six runs (five earned) over eight innings of work. He also struck out five but allowed a pair of long balls.
Game 2With their backs against the wall and facing their first-ever home PacWest sweep the Sea Lions responded valiantly to defeat FPU 5-4 in the series finale. PLNU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI-triple by Garcia, a run-scoring single by Carter and a pair of FPU errors.
Trevor Abshire earned his sixth win of the season was he held Fresno Pacific to seven hits and three runs (two earned) over five innings of work. He then turned the ball and the lead over the Sea Lions bullpen.
Mickey Dunleavy gave up one run in his only inning of work but kept PLNU in the lead. Huntley then struck out two in a perfect seventh inning to earn his 12th save of the season to pass Justin Marabeas (2014) as the school's single-season save leader. He is also now tied for fourth in career saves, just three from tying the record of 15 set by Robbie Naegele.
Garcia continued to rack up the extra base hits for Point Loma. He had a double and a triple to take over the PacWest lead with 20 extra base hits on the season.
Joseph Keller drove in a pair of runs for the Sea Lions, including the eventual game-winner on two-out single in the fifth inning.
Anthony Torres returned to the lineup and provided a pair of hits including a double.
Next gamesPoint Loma will return to action next Thursday (Apr. 23) to take on California Baptist in a four-game series with playoff implications on the line. Thursday and Friday first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Saturday there will be a doubleheader to close out the series starting at Noon. Saturday will also be Senior Day for four PLNU seniors (
Sam Sadler,
Anthony Torres,
Mickey Dunleavy and
Trey Hunt).