SAN DIEGO - The Point Loma baseball team scored its most runs at home since the 2011 season as they hammered Eastern New Mexico, 16-2, in the second game of the series on Friday, Feb. 19. Kellen Sheppard earned the victory on the mound with six strong innings of work and also led PLNU with four RBI.
 
The Sea Lions (6-3) have now won six straight games, including four in a row at Carroll B Land Stadium. ENMU has lost the first two games of the series to fall to 5-3 on the season.
 
Point Loma exploded for seven runs in the first inning and another four in the third to break the game open early. Sheppard helped his own cause with a bases-clearing double in the first, and after Cale Hathaway knocked in another run, AJ Derr doubled to the wall to score three and cap the early scoring. In the third, both Harrison Ramey and Ryan Garcia had two-run singles to extend the Sea Lions' lead to 11-1.
 
"That was a big hit by Sheppard to clear the bases," said Point Loma head coach Joe Schaefer. "It wasn't just a big hit by him but it was that we gave up one in the first but were about to come back and put a run on the board, then it turns into a big inning."
 
"We got big hits with guys on base which is what we didn't get in game 1 so it was nice to see guys make the adjustments and come through today," continued Schaefer. "If we can keep this rolling we will be in good shape."
 
PLNU collected 17 hits in the game, after putting up 16 yesterday. Eight of the Sea Lions' nine starters had a hit. Hathaway paced the squad with three singles, two RBI and two runs scored. Mike Gordner also had three base knocks. Ryan Garcia was 2-for-3 with three walks, two RBI and two runs scored. Matt Jervis, Harrison Ramey and Kellen Sheppard each recorded a multi-hit game for Point Loma, while Colby Kaneshiro and Ramey also notched a multi-RBI game.
 
Sheppard went six innings allowing eight hits and two runs. He walked one and struck out three. He is now 2-1 on the season as he lowered his ERA to 2.00.
 
"Sheppard competed well today," Schaefer explained. "He wasn't at his sharpest but he pitched himself out of jams and did a great job minimizing the damage. When he had to be good he was really good, and that is kind of who he is."
 
PLNU also received scoreless single innings out of its bullpen by John Shurance, Garrett Gooding and John Thomas.
 
 
"We had all three facets of the game going today," Schaefer added. "We played strong defense, we did good offensively and all four arms pitched well. Today is the first day of us putting it all together."
 
The teams will conclude their series with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 20 starting at 11:00 a.m. PLNU will have Trevor Abshire on the mound in the opener and Kevin Lillicrop in the series finale.