SAN DIEGO - The PacWest season is here, and that means new life for the Point Loma baseball team. After hitting a few rough patches in their non-conference of their schedule, the Sea Lions opened the 2018 PacWest play with a pair of victories over traditional conference power, Dixie State, 9-4 and 2-1, on Friday, 23.
 
Game 1: The Sea Lions got solid pitching and a five-run sixth inning to defeat Dixie State 9-4 in the opener. Colby Kaneshiro went 4-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Tyler Flores was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. He gave Point Loma the lead for good when he doubled in Kaneshiro and Pries as part of the five-run sixth inning. The other three runs in the inning all came with two outs after an error by the Trailblazers' third baseman.
 
Robert Ortiz III (2-0) earned the win in relief of Garrett Irvin. He went three innings out the pen, giving up just two unearned runs. Irvin started and went five innings allowing six hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out six. Ryan Casper came in the game in the ninth after Dixie State loaded the bases on three straight hits, and worked out of the jam to secure the victory.
 
Game 2: Trevor Abshire shoved it for 7.1 innings and Tyler Flores came through with his sixth home run in 11 games to lead the Sea Lions to a 2-1 win in the nightcap.
 
Abshire (2-1) went a season-high 7.1 innings allowing five hits and one earned run, while walking four and striking out three. He held the Trailblazers scoreless into the seventh as his team built him a 2-0 lead.
 
The first run came on a steal home by Darian Sylvester as he and Wyatt Champlin perfectly executed the first and third double steal. Flores would provide what would-be the game-winning run in the sixth on a solo home run to right field. It was the only ball to leave the yard in either game.
 
After a tough one-out walk to Logan Porter, the Sea Lions turned to the bullpen. Nicholas Cornelius pitched out of the jam in the eighth for his first hold on the season. John Balliet relieved him in the ninth and struck out the only two batters he faced for his first save in a Point Loma uniform.
 
Point Loma outhit Dixie State 10-5 and only three times did a Trailblazer reach third base.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (6-5, 2-0 PacWest), Dixie State (4-8, 0-2 PacWest)
 
Schaefer speaks
On the five-run sixth: "Whenever you put up a crooked number it is usually something involved that the defense has done to help you out. Stringing a bunch of hits together is not an easy thing to do but our guys stuck with their approach and did really well that inning."
 
On Kaneshiro: "He didn't give in on pitches he knew he wouldn't have success with. He fell behind in some counts but he stuck with his approach."
 
On the bullpen: "Between both games, all our arms did an excellent job on the mound today. That is who we are supposed to be. This is the type of team we saw in the Fall. We attack the strike zone, pitch down in the zone and don't give up free baserunners."
 
News and Notes
> Tyler Flores has hit safely in all 11 games this season
> Pries had his 10-game hitting streak to begin the season snapped in the nightcap
> Abshire has pitched 14 innings the past two series, allowing just eight hits and three runs
> Ortiz III has earned his first two career victories out of the bullpen
> Kaneshiro reached base in seven of his nine plate appearances (six hits, one walk)
 
Up Next
The series will continue with another doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 24. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.