WAIPAHU, Hawai'i — Hawai'i Pacific University opened the 2017 baseball season in a great way by taking a doubleheader from Augustana (S.D.) Wednesday at Hans L'Orange Field.
 
The Sharks (2-0) plated three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Vikings (0-2) in game one 3-2, then followed with a 6-1 victory in the nightcap.
 
"We started slow, really slow in the first game," said HPU head coach Garett Yukumoto. "The comeback in the ninth was something we needed to prove we could do it. That big inning to win the first game carried us into the second game."
 
The season opening twinbill was highlighted by the play of junior rightfielder Ryan Torres-Torioka of Holualoa, Hawai'i/Konawaena who went 4-for-7 with a double and a run scored, sophomore centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City who collected the season's first home run in the second game and senior lefthander Matthew Gunter of Orangevale, Calif./Bella Vista who picked up a seven-inning complete game in winning game two.
 
The Sharks return to the diamond on Friday when they host Augustana in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. at Hans L'Orange.
 
Game One
 
The Sharks trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the ninth before plating three runs for a come-from-behind victory in the season opener.
 
Augie reliever Zach Reeg hit HPU senior catcher Jaison Craig of Murrieta,Calif./Vista Murrieta to start the inning, then walked pinch hitter Codi Santana and loaded the bases when trying to get Craig at third when pinch hitter Froy Smith dropped a slow roller between the mound and third. The Vikings replaced Reeg with Jason Blank who hit left fielder Keola Himan to force in the first Sharks run. After a strikeout, freshman second baseman Trey Yukumoto drew a walk to tie the game. Tokunaga sent the first pitch he faced into right to allow Smith to race home ahead of a throw to the plate for the game winner.
 
Freshman righthander Tyler Hazlett of Arcadia, Calif./Temple City got the win in relief, going three innings allowing one hit. HPU junior righthanded starter William Clemens of Tempe, Ariz./Corona Del Sol, went six innings allowing four hits and two runs, one earned, with five strikeouts.
 
Viking starter Dalton Lehnen pitched six innings allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts and four walks, but did not figure in the decision.
 
Game Two
 
HPU scored in each of the first four innings on the way to a 6-1 win in a scheduled seven inning contest.
 
Gunter was a big story in the game, going the distance in striking out 10 Vikings and issuing just two walks. Gunter held Augustana to just one hit through five innings before giving up a safety in the sixth. He gave up two more hits and a run in the seventh while closing out the contest.
 
HPU got a pair RBI singles from Santana and a two RBI single Yukumoto to go with a sacrifice fly from Wyatt Hoppie before Tokunaga capped the Sharks scoring with the Sharks' first round-tripper of the season.