WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University leaped out to an early lead, but faltered in the middle innings to No. 1 Azusa Pacific to drop the first of a four game series 9-8 on Friday night at Hans L'Orange Park.

The Sharks (16-17, 10-15 PacWest) posted a 4-0 lead after the first two innings, but the Cougars (30-3, 20-3 PacWest) came back with six runs in a rain-filled fifth inning to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

HPU was paced offensively by senior third baseman Wyatt Hoppie of Orange, Calif./Villa Park, who went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, and by senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle, who was 2-for-4 with a walk.

Junior righthander Tyler Van Stone (3-5) of Henderson, Nev./Foothill went five innings allowing eight runs (six earned) on seven hits with five walks and three strikeouts in getting the loss. Junior lefthander Joshua Muneno of Honolulu/Maryknoll threw for one inning allowing just one walk while picking up a strikeout, and junior righthander Jordan Gesling of Lennox, S.D./Roosevelt, saw 1.1 innings allowing a run off of no hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Sophomore lefthander Conlan Myers of Mesa, Ariz./Mountain View saw just one batter and ended the night with a walk while senior righty Evan Thomas-May of Buena Park, Calif./Oxford Academy finished the final 1.2 innings not allowing any runs, hits, or walks and picked up a strikeout.

Azusa Pacific lefthander Brendan Dixon (1-0) saw two innings in relief allowing two runs (none of them earned) on a hit and a walk with a strikeout to pick up his first win. Right handed starter Dillon Miyashiro only pitched four innings allowing five runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Nick Estrella closed out the final three innings allowing one unearned run on a hit and two walks while striking out eight of the thirteen batters he faced and picked up his first save of the year.
 
The Sharks started out strong in the first inning as senior rightfielder Ryan Torres-Torioka of Holualoa, Hawai'i/Konawaena got walked before Hoppie crushed his second homerun of the season to give HPU an early 2-0 lead.

HPU added another two runs in the second frame when senior catcher Kreston Woods of Tempe, Ariz./DeNiza walked, and senior shortstop Mitchell Bumann of Corona, Calif./Temescal Canyon crushed a double to left field while advancing to third on the throw home. Bumann was plated by junior centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City with a ground out to make it 4-0.
 
The Cougars hit the board in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Grant Gamble and an RBI single Joe Quire cutting the HPU lead to 4-2.

HPU answered with a run in the fourth coming off a single from Woods, a ground out to advance him to second, and another single from Tokunaga to get him in scoring position. Torres-Torioka tallied the RBI with a sacrifice suicide squeeze bunt to give the Sharks a 5-2 lead heading to the fifth as the rain started to fall.
 
In the APU fifth, Pablo O'Connor doubled to bring home one run, and Gamble doubled to bring in two more runs for the Cougars. Austin Russ scored on a passed ball and two more runs scored on a rain-caused HPU fielding error as the No. 1 Cougars closed the inning leading 8-5.

In the sixth, the Sharks responded with two more runs. Woods was walked again, and Tokunaga reached on an APU throwing error. Torres-Torioka tabulated RBI's two and three with a crushed double to right field making it 8-7.
 
The Cougars added another run in the eighth that came from a hit batter, a wild pitch, and a fielding error from HPU. The Sharks were able to pull a double play on full bases before more damage was done.
 
HPU saw a chance to pull out the win in the bottom of the ninth frame. Tokunaga reached first on a dropped strikeout followed by a Hoppie single through the left side to advance him. Freshman pinch hitter Micah Layosa of Lehui, Hawai'i/Kauai was walked to load the bases, and sophomore pinch hitter Trey Yukumoto of Waipahu, Hawai'i/Leilehua walked to give the Sharks their eighth run before a strikeout ended the game and left the sacks jammed. 
 
The Sharks are back in action tomorrow for a doubleheader against Azusa Pacific at Hans L'Orange Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.