KANEOHE, Hawai'i — Hawai'i Pacific University suffered a pair of narrow losses on Tuesday as PacWest Conference leader California Baptist swept the Sharks at Howard Okita Field.
 
The Sharks (12-10, 5-7) fell 2-1 in nine innings in game one, and the Lancers (20-7, 14-2) grabbed game two 3-1.
 
"Those were two very close losses," said HPU coach Brian Nakasone. "We been toe-to-toe with the best teams in the conference and have come up just a bit short."
 
Cal Baptist scored a run in the sixth and a run in the ninth to overcome a 1-0 HPU lead in the first game. The second contest saw CBU tally single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings to out distance the Sharks solo home run from freshman designated player Brazzlyn Tovio-Asato of Kapolei, Hawai'i/University Lab.
 
Outfielder Nicole Viena of Corona, Calif./Santiago was the only Shark to record multiple hits on the afternoon, going 2-for-6.
 
The Sharks are in action again Sunday at Dominican (Calif.) as they begin a more-than week long road trip in Northern California.
 
Game One
 
An old fashioned pitching duel went extra innings, with key errors costing both teams runs.
 
The Lancers took advantage of a dropped popup to put a runner on in the ninth, then got an RBI double from Krista Mann for a 2-1 win.
 
HPU took the initial 1-0 lead in the third inning after Mari Kajiwara was hit by a pitch, bunted to second and advanced to third on a throwing error by CBU pitcher Kellye Springstead. Kajiwara scored on a two-out RBI single by Sierra Dias.
 
CBU evened the game in the sixth when Brittany Galvez doubled to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI single by Erin Burkhart.
 
Shark freshman righthander Emiliee Leonard (4-3) got the loss after going 8 2/3 innings and allowing just six hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out two.
 
CBU righty Springstead (6-2) went the distance scattering five hits, allowing one unearned run and striking out 12.
 
Game Two
 
The Sharks kept the Lancers off the board in the first inning by cutting down a runner at the plate, but CBU scratched out runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings to pull of the win.
 
The Lancers converted a leadoff walk in the third into a run on a sacrifice fly RBI by Soraya Shahbazian for their first run. In the fourth, Mann picked up an RBI single driving in Ali Subia who singled earlier in the inning.
 
HPU answered in the bottom of the fourth when CBU pitcher Ciara Stapp served up a first pitch fastball to Tovio-Asato who deposited it behind the left field fence for her third home run of the season.
 
The Lancers added the insurance run in the sixth after Amanda Springstead was hit by HPU pitcher Jordan Curry, then went to second on a wild pitch. Liz Dickson pinch ran for Springstead and scored on Mann's second RBI single of the game.
 
Curry (3-4) went the distance allowing three runs, all earned on 11 hits.
 
Lancer righthander Stapp (7-4) allowed the one earned run on just four hits while striking out eight Sharks.