FRESNO, Calif. – After dropping their first two games of the series, Point Loma took games three and four in Fresno to split the series with the Sunbirds. Timely homeruns from Colby Kaneshiro and Michael Palos helped power the Sea Lions offense. Nathan Garkow went six innings for the best start of the weekend, allowing just five hits and one earned run. PLNU took game one, 7-6, and game two by a score of 8-3.
 
Game 1: The start of the first game looked eerily similar to Friday when the Sunbirds managed to put up three unanswered runs through the first two innings. The Sea Lions were able to respond with two runs of their own in the top of the third, cutting into the FPU lead.
 
Stirling Strong went just 4.1 innings giving up six hits and four runs before Steven Elliott entered the game in relief. Elliot was solid in his appearance going 4.2 innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run. His lone earned run came from a solo homerun off the bat of Jared Aguilar which gave Fresno Pacific a 5-4 lead going into the ninth.
 
Point Loma responded with a run in the top of the ninth when Justin Ledgerwood doubled to bring in Pries from second. Elliot was able to close out the ninth, striking out his final batter with the bases loaded to send the game to extra innings. Kaneshiro then launched a two-run jack in the top of the 10^th to give Point Loma the lead. Nicholas Cornelius entered the game for the save opportunity and, despite giving up a leadoff homerun, closed the game out for the Sea Lions.
 
Game 2: Once again, the Sea Lions saw Fresno Pacific put a runs on the board early, getting two across in the bottom of the second inning. Point Loma wouldn't need to wait long to put up runs themselves as Kaneshiro knocked in a run in the next half inning. Down one run in the top of the fourth, Michael Palos launched his first homerun of the season and evened the score at two runs apiece.
 
After allowing the two unearned runs in the bottom of the second, Garkow threw a solid game allowing only five hits in six innings pitched. The sophomore held the Sunbirds scoreless through the next three innings. Point Loma was able to spot their starter an additional four runs in the top of the fifth giving them a 6-2 lead through five innings.
 
A solo homerun from FPU in the bottom of the sixth was their only other run of the game cutting the Point Loma lead to three runs. Casey Dunlap, who has started the last six games at shortstop for the injured Miguel Cazares, came up with a huge double in the top of the seventh to bring in two runs, pushing the lead to five and the game out of reach for the Sunbirds.

Team records
#20 Point Loma (27-14, 15-8 PacWest), Fresno Pacific (16-21, 12-12 PacWest)
 
PacWest Implications
The Sea Lions remain in second place, still five games behind APU in the loss column. The Sunbirds fall back down to sixth place with the losses.  
 
Words from coach James
On battling back after falling behind early: "Our backs were up against the wall a little bit. We came together as a team and talked about having to respond, that's all you can do. Today we played much more like ourselves. Credit to Fresno, they battled, they were tough this whole weekend, tough in all facets. We had some big time at-bats and I'm very proud of how these guys responded to a Friday that got us on our heels a little bit."

On Garkow's performance: "Garkow is one of the best competitors we have on the staff, not just of the starters. That's the way he likes to pitch and that is why he has the job that he does. The seven inning game guy is a tough role because the bullpen is usually used up and it it is often a series deciding game. So, there is that added pressure, if that's what you want to call it, and he handled it very well. It was a huge start."

On Ledgerwood's series performance: "It starts behind the scenes. He works really hard, and continues to work hard, on becoming a better player. He has a tough mindset and he was phenomenal this weekend. Without him, we don't have the outcomes that we have."

On preparing for Hawaii Hilo: "First we are gonna get on the bus, get them fed, then we are going to relax and enjoy this. Most importantly they will get to enjoy Easter with their families, unwind, and be with loved ones. They get an extra day off on Monday, an extra chance to rest before we get back after it on Tuesday. This weekend was a grind for them and they deserve to rest up before the next series."
 
News and notes
> Ledgerwood went 10-of 16 (.625) at the plate in the four game series.
> Pries went 9-of-19 (.474) over the weekend. 
> This was the first series split with the Sunbirds since 2012. 
> Garkow has gone six innings or more in four of his seven starts. 
> The Sea Lions had at least 10 hits in all four games of the series. 
> Dunlap is hitting .400 since filling in for the injured Cazares. 
 
Next games
The Sea Lions will be back at home next weekend for a four-game series with Hawaii Hilo. Games will be at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. both days at Carroll B. Land Stadium.