SAN DIEGO - Kellen Sheppard sent himself and his fellow seniors out with a victory in their final home game of 2017 at Carroll B. Land Stadium. After Point Loma dropped the opener, 11-4, Sheppard delivered a complete game performance in the series finale, lifting the Sea Lions to a 6-2 victory over Azusa Pacific.
 
The split brings Point Loma's record to 24-16 on the season and 16-12 in the PacWest. Azusa is now 34-8 and 21-7 in the PacWest.
 
Game 1
Azusa Pacific put crooked numbers on the scoreboard in four of the nine innings to take the opener 11-4. Michael Staudinger was 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored to lead APU.
 
Ryan Garcia recorded his 30th career home run with a shot over the right center field wall in the third. He is tied for third in the PacWest with 12 home runs and ninth with 33 runs batted in. His 31 walks pace the league.
 
Colby Kaneshiro and Micah Pries each had two-hit performances. PLNU was outhit just 12-11, but a couple untimely errors cost the Sea Lions.
 
Game 2
Kellen Sheppard made the other 11 seniors would always go out with a victory in their final home game at Carroll B. Land Stadium. Sheppard tossed his second straight complete game in a series finale, going all seven innings, allowing seven hits, no walks and two unearned runs, while striking out seven to lead Point Loma to the 6-2 victory.
 
This was Sheppard's 24th career win. He takes over third place on the career list, passing Jeff Johnson and Tyler Cameron. The only runs Azusa Pacific scored off him came in the second when PLNU committed an error on a tailor-made double play to extend the inning. He limited damage in that inning and no APU runner crossed home again. He has not allowed an earned run over 14 innings since moving to the series finale. 
 
"We had to have that game," said Point Loma head coach Schaefer. "That was outstanding work by Sheppard on the mound. They are obviously a good hitting team, especially on mistakes. But Sheppard did a great job keeping the ball down, pitching in and out, and using the off-speed really well. It is what you would expect out of a fourth-year senior in a clutch game.
 
"It wasn't a great weekend of baseball for us but to have a senior (Sheppard) step up in the last home game of the season and give the seniors the chance to walk out of here winning their last home game is pretty awesome," added Schaefer.
 
Sheppard wasn't the only Sea Lion to step up as the team responded to APU's two-run top of the second by putting up a six-spot in the bottom of the inning. PLNU sent 12 men to the plate in the inning, racking up six hits, three walks and a hit by pitch. Colby Kaneshiro and Tyler Flores each had two-RBI hits Pries added an RBI-single and Sheppard had a sac fly.
 
Garcia, Pries and Flores all had two hits for the Sea Lions which outhit the Cougars 9-7. Gordner added a double on Senior Day.
 
"This was a special senior class," explained coach Schaefer. "They are good players, and we saw a lot in them and thought they could come in and compete early as freshmen. They are a huge part of our transition into NCAA Division II and why we have been able to have the success we've had early at this level. It is hard to say enough about the senior class and what they have done over the past four seasons."
 
Next games
Point Loma will play a single nine-inning, non-conference game on Tuesday, Apr. 25 at Cal State Dominguez Hills. First pitch is 3 p.m. The Sea Lions will then close out their season on the road at Academy of Art (Apr. 28-29) and Fresno Pacific (8-9).
 
"We tend to play well on the road, so that is encouraging," Schaefer noted. "We played some tough road games early in the season with the whole purpose of it paying dividends late in the year. We know our goal is to be in the tournament at the end of the year and we know what we have to do to take care of business, but we have to play one game at a time and cannot look ahead."