SAN DIEGO - The Point Loma and Concordia baseball teams opened up their four-game series by splitting a doubleheader on Thursday, Mar. 15. PLNU won the opener 3-1 behind a complete game performance by Garrett Irvin. The Eagles answered back to win the nightcap 5-4.
 
Game 1: Garrett Irvin recorded his second complete game of the season in leading the Sea Lions to a 3-1 victory. The freshman left-hander limited Concordia to four hits and one run, while striking out six and walking none as he improved to 3-0 on the season.
 
Tyler Flores provided the first run of the game in the second inning when he recorded his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot to right center field. The Sea Lions would add single runs in the third on an RBI-single by Colby Kaneshiro and in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by John Balliet.
 
Concordia's only run came on a solo home run by Davis Tominaga in the seventh. Alex Zalasky (1-1) earned the loss for CUI after allowing nine hits and three runs (all earned) in 6.1 innings.
 
Game 2: Twice PLNU came back to tie the game, and twice Concordia answered with runs in the next half inning. The last run, which proved to be the game-winner, came in the eighth on a two-out, RBI-single from Hunter Holland that proved to be difference at 5-4.
 
Concordia took advantage of a PLNU error in the first inning to score two unearned runs with two out on a home run. They would go up 3-0 after three innings. Point Loma answered with one in the third and two more in the fourth to knot the game at 3-3. CUI grabbed the lead back with another two-out RBI in the fifth before PLNU tied it once again in the seventh on an Adam Rios triple and a Ryan Casper double.
 
Colby Kaneshiro went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Sea Lions. Adam Rios was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored. The two combined for five of PLNU's eight hits. Davis Tominaga powered Concordia by going 2-for-5 with a double, a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
 
Sam Reed (1-2) picked up the victory out of the bullpen. He went 2.2 innings allowing no hits and no runs, while striking out four. Robert Ortiz III (2-3) took the loss for PLNU,
 
Team Records
Point Loma (12-11, 8-6 PacWest), Concordia (9-15, 6-8 PacWest)
 
Schaefer speaks
On Irvin: "He is pretty dang good. Today he made a really good adjustment and was able to get weak contact early in the counts which allowed him to get deeper into the game. The past few weeks he had high strike out numbers but we were just getting five of six innings out of him."
 
On frustration of game 2: "We gave them too many base runners. We did such a good job of throwing strikes in game 1 and limiting their opportunities. In game 2 we walked six guys, hit four others and made a crucial error in the first inning. No matter what you can't give teams extra opportunities. You have to force them to earn everything they get and we just didn't do that on the mound today. On offense we were just undisciplined and swung at way too many pitches out of the zone."
 
News and Notes
> Irvin lowered his earned run average to 1.76 with his complete game performance
> Flores' home runs (10) and RBIs (33) over double the next closest Sea Lion
> Flores has hit safely in all but one game this season
> Game 2 marked the 12th time in 23 games PLNU has allowed two or more unearned runs
 
Up Next
The Sea Lions and Eagles will conclude their four-game series with another doubleheader on Friday, Mar. 16. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.