HONOLULU - The Point Loma baseball team spotted Hawaii Pacific a 7-0 lead in the first three innings of Monday's opener before going on to score 24 of the next 25 runs to take both games of the doubleheader. PLNU won the opener 10-8 in 10 innings and the nightcap 16-7.
 
Game 1: Things were at about their lowest point of the season after Hawaii Pacific put up six runs in the first and led 7-0 after three innings, then came the five-run, two-out fourth inning rally. It fueled the Sea Lions to come all the way back and win 10-8 in 10 innings.
 
Colby Kaneshiro began the fourth by begin hit by a pitch and Micah Pries drew a four-pitch, then after two outs the Sea Lions sat back and benefitted from some Shark mistakes. Wyatt Champlin reached on an error and the next three hitters either reached via a walk or hit by pitch. John Balliet provided the first hit of the inning when he singled in two to complete the five-run inning.
 
The Sea Lions would knot up the score in the seventh when Pries tripled in two runs and came home to score on a Tyler Flores RBI-groundout.
 
The score would remain tied into the 10th inning when pinch hitter Adrian Collazo tied it up with a double into the opposite field gap to plate two. Cole Millerd and John Balliet would combine hold the Sharks scoreless in the bottom of the inning to complete the comeback victory.
 
The comeback would not have been possible without great bullpen work from Cole Millerd, Alex Strizak and John Balliet. The three combined for six innings, allowing five hits and no runs, while walking two and striking out five. It was Millerd (1-0) that picked up the win by going 4.2 innings. He allowed three hits and no runs while walking one and striking out four. Balliet earned his second save of the season by striking out the only batter he faced. Conlan Myers (0-1) took the loss.

Game 2: PLNU used the momentum from the comeback in the opener and a quality performance from starter Wyatt Shackleford to defeat Hawaii Pacific 16-7 in the series finale.
 
The Sea Lions scored five in the first inning, one more in the second and then exploded for eight runs in the fourth to lead 14-0.
 
Shackleford was cruising along until the fourth inning when a hit by pitch and a pair of errors allowed the Sharks to put up six runs in the inning (four unearned). But Shackleford was able to induce a double play grounder and PLNU escaped with lead still firmly in-hand.
 
Shackleford (2-1) would earn the victory by going five innings, allowing eight hits and six runs (two earned), while walking four and striking out seven. William Clemens took the loss after being charged with five unearned runs in the first inning.
 
Travis Takata and Adam Rios each had a double, two hits and three RBI for the Sea Lions.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (9-8, 5-3 PacWest), Hawaii Pacific (9-7, 3-5 PacWest )
 
Schaefer speaks
Coach Schaefer was not available for comment at the time of this release
 
News and Notes
> Point Loma was outhit 16-6 in the opener
> The Sea Lions scored 16 runs in game 2 on just 11 hits
> PLNU has committed three or more errors eight of 17 games
> The 16 runs scored were a season-high
> Shackleford is the first PLNU pitcher to win back-to-back starts this season
 
Up Next
The Sea Lions will now head to the Big Island to face Hawaii Hilo for a four-game series starting on Thursday, Mar. 8. The teams will play single games on Thursday and Friday, and a doubleheader on Saturday.