St. George, Utah - Kellen Sheppard's three-run homer capped off a seven-run ninth inning comeback for the No. 6 Point Loma baseball team in which they erased a 5-1 deficit to defeat No. 5 Dixie State, 8-7, in the series opener. In game 2, PLNU scored the first two runs before the Red Storm answered with eight runs in the bottom of the first and they went on to win the nightcap 20-9.  
 
The win in the opener snaps a four-game losing skid for the NCAA regionally ranked Sea Lions as they move to 32-15 on the season and to 18-12 in the PacWest. The doubleheader split sends Dixie State to 30-16 and to 23-7 in the PacWest.
 
Game 1
Things looked very bleak for the Sea Lions heading into the top of the ninth inning trailing Dixie State 5-1, but just as they have done all season when their backs are against the wall, PLNU rallied for seven runs, capped off by Sheppard's three-run shot to knock off No. 5 ranked Dixie State 8-7.
 
Point Loma had base runners throughout the game but it could not come up with a run-scoring hit until the floodgates opened in the ninth. PLNU loaded the bases with one out and Trey Hunt provided the hit Point Loma was looking for all day, singling up the middle off Dixie State closer Evan Parker to drive in two (5-3). A balk pushed the runners to second and third and then Tyler Baker singled in pinch runner Jack Spohn on an infield single to bring PLNU within one (5-4). Devin Carter tied the game at 5-5 on a sac fly to center field to score Hunt.
 
The Sea Lions were not done there. Ryan Garcia kept the rally going with a single to right field to bring up Kellen Sheppard with runners at second and third and two out. He fouled off the first pitch he saw before launching an opposite field home run over the wall in left to give PLNU its first lead of the game at 8-5. That was Sheppard's first career home run. He finished the game with a career-high four hits and three RBI.
 
Dixie State did not go away easily in its half of the ninth. The first two hitters singled and came into score to cut the lead to 8-7 but Coleman Huntley III was able to shut the door for his NCAA Division II leading 13th save of the season. Noah Huggins (2-0) earned the victory as he allowed one run in two innings of relief to keep PLNU in the game. Parker (1-3) took the loss for the Red Storm after being tagged with four hits and four runs in 0.2 innings.
 
Tanner Morache paced Dixie State by going 4-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot. He started the game with a double and came in to score on an RBI-groundout in the first. He then doubled in the fifth and scored on a two-out hit to give Dixie State a 4-1 lead after five innings. 
 
Game 2
PLNU carried the momentum from its late-game heroics in the opener into game 2, scoring two runs with two outs in the first inning, but the momentum and lead were short-lived as Dixie State rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the first and went on to win the nightcap 20-9.
 
The Red Storm's rally started just like most rallies do; with a leadoff walk. Morache walked on five pitched and the next two hitters singled to load the bases. PLNU had Kevin Kline in a 0-2 hole but he still got a great swing on the pitch and drove it down the left field line for a double to score two and tie the game at 2-2. Dixie State would get six more runs in the inning as they sent 12 men to the plate.  The Red Storm's scoring did not stop there as they added four in the second and six more over the next three innings.
 
PLNU continued to battle and even scored in five of the nine innings but with Dixie State putting up crooked numbers most innings the Sea Lions could never really threaten the Red Storm's lead.
 
Ryan Garcia and Joseph Keller led PLNU with three hits apiece. Two of Garcia's hits went for doubles as he took over third place on the Sea Lions' single-season list with 20 doubles on the year.  He also added a stolen base and three runs scored. Keller had a double and knocked in a pair of runs. Devin Baker and Michael Randel also had multi-hit games.
 
Morache once again fueled the Red Storm offense. He was 2-for-3 with a double, six RBI and a run scored. No. 9 hitter Zach Watts drove in four runs with a double and a home run. Yuto Kata scored four runs and three other Red Storm players crossed the plate three times.
 
Aaron Pope (4-3) battled through five innings for Dixie State to get the win despite allowing nine hits, two walks and five runs (four earned). PLNU starter Kevin Lillicrop (4-6) took the loss after lasting just 0.2 innings.
 
Next games
The hope for postseason play at the NCAA West Regional is coming down to the final two games of the year when Point Loma and Dixie State meet up for a doubleheader on Saturday, May 2 at 10:00 a.m. (PST). The Sea Lions will throw Kellen Sheppard in game 1 and Trevor Abshire in game 2.