Box Score HILO, Hawaii (April 30, 2016) – The Hawaii Pacific baseball team split a road doubleheader with UH Hilo, claiming the opener 1-0 and dropping the return matchup 3-0, to begin a four-game series at Wong Stadium.
 
The Sharks (29-19, 19-17 PacWest) got all the offense they needed in Game 1 on a solo home run from Steven Camberos. Austin Inabata went 3-for-3 and Nolan Barraza added two base knocks in the victory.
 
HPU senior ace Rico Garcia (6-5) turned in his best outing of the season in the first contest and held Hilo scoreless over 8 2/3 innings, while scattering six hits and striking out six.
 
Sharks closer Brandon Bonilla struck out the lone batter he was called upon to face in the opener and stranded a runner on second en route to securing his program-record 12^th save of the season. The lefty has now struck out 38 over 25 1/3 innings and owns a miniscule 0.36 ERA.
 
Hilo hurler Jordan Kurokawa (3-5) stole the show in Game 2 with a shutout effort, through which the professional prospect allowed one hit and struck out nine. Hilo scored all three runs, including two unearned, in the fourth inning and the run support was all Kurokawa needed.
 
The Vulcans (8-32, 7-27) received four hits over both games from Phillip Steering.
 
Bonilla, the son of former Major League slugger Bobby Bonilla, joined the Sharks after spending time at both Arizona State and Grand Canyon Universities. The hard-throwing relief option, who can let it fly at 97 mph, also boasts a biting slider that darts in toward right-handed hitters.
 
Bonilla was selected in the 37^th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft in 2011 after his time at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., by the Colorado Rockies. He was then picked in 2014 via the 25^th round of the MLB June Amateur Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, but chose instead to focus on earning his college degree; he's currently a graduate student at HPU.
 
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, earlier this season, he set the program record for career innings pitched and continues to build on that mark.
 
The Sharks have already improved upon 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 318-215-1.  
 
HPU will finish the season with a non-conference double dip with UH Hilo on Sunday, May 1.