Box Score WAIPAHU, Hawaii (March 22, 2016) – In a pitchers' duel worthy of heavyweight title-fight attention, Tyson Miller answered the bell.
 
The acclaimed pitcher stymied the Hawaii Pacific baseball team's hitters and helped 10^th-ranked and West Region-leading California Baptist notch a 4-1 victory over the Sharks to begin a four-game PacWest Conference series at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (15-8, 7-6 PacWest) struggled to support ace Rico Garcia (3-3), who took the loss after giving up 3 earned runs on 7 hits. Garcia struck out 7 through 6 innings, but his two walks issued in CBU's four-run sixth frame proved costly as Jake Gallaway doubled to left-center to plate two. The pivotal inning was extended by HPU's Bronson Aiwohi, who fielded a potential double-play ball at his second-base slot but delivered an errant throw to Tyler Tokunaga covering the bag and no outs were recorded.
 
Reid Akau led the Sharks offensively with 2 hits, while Tokunaga and Aiwohi notched a double apiece.
 
The Lancers (22-5, 12-1) won their 10^th consecutive game and leaned on Miller (5-2), the PacWest Preseason Pitcher of the Year and candidate for the Golden Spikes Award. The right-handed hurler, who is Baseball America's No. 63 prospect entering this coming June's Major League Draft, allowed a run on 5 hits through 7 innings and notched 7 strikeouts. Reliever Brody Robinson set down HPU in the eighth inning and Antonio Chavarria came on to notch the save in the ninth frame to secure the CBU victory.
 
Garcia, a prep standout at Saint Louis School, was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America Preseason All-West Region First Team and earned a spot on the Preseason All-PacWest Team. He led the Sharks with a 6-4 record last season and a 2.18 ERA through 10 starts, including four complete games. The Kapolei native also paced HPU in 2015 with a school-record 87 strikeouts over 74 1/3 innings pitched, while opposing batters hit just .186 against him.
 
Garcia was named to the All-PacWest First Team in 2015 and was also honored as HPU's Male Athlete of the Year. Earlier this season, he set the program record for career innings pitched and continues to build on that mark.
 
The Sharks are aiming to improve on their 27-20 record from last year, which included a 17-15 mark in conference play. HPU was picked to finish seventh this season in a very competitive 10-team PacWest Conference via a preseason vote by league coaches. The team is guided by 11^th-year skipper Garett Yukumoto, who is the program's winningest coach at 304-204-1.  
 
HPU returns to Hans L'Orange Park on Wednesday, March 23 (4/7:30 p.m.) to continue its crucial matchup with California Baptist.