WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University saw No. 1 Azusa Pacific score a run in the seventh to snap a tie and beat the Sharks 5-4 in PacWest Conference action on Monday night at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (16-20, 10-18) battled back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the top-ranked Cougars (33-3, 23-3) before APU collected the game-winner.
 
Sophomore rightfielder Ryan Torres-Torioka of Holualoa, Hawai'i/Konawaena led the Sharks offensively, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle was 2-for-4 with a run scored and freshman designated hitter Micah Layosa of Lihue, Hawai'i/Kauai was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
 
The Sharks fell behind early as Azusa Pacific scored three runs in the second inning on an RBI single from Mychael Goudreau, a passed ball and an RBI single from Osvaldo Tovalin that chased HPU starter Charlie Brooks after two innings.
 
The Cougars greeted Sharks lefthanded reliever Joshua Muneno of Honolulu/Maryknoll with a solo home run from pinch hitter Steven Garrett for a 4-0 lead.
 
Muneno settled in after the shot and the Sharks caught a spark.
 
In the fourth, junior centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City and Kapeliela singled to set up Layosa for a two-out, two-RBI double to right field to cut the APU lead to 4-2.
 
Then in the fifth, senior shortstop Mitchell Bumann of Corona, Calif./Temescal Canyon, doubled to left center and Tokunaga was hit by a pitch to put two on. Torres-Torioka followed with a two-RBI double to left to knot the score at 4-4.
 
But in the seventh, APU's Sean Aspinall doubled to lead off the inning and went to third on a ground out. After the Sharks brought in junior righthander Jordan Gesling of Lennox, S.D./Roosevelt, Aspinall scored on a sacrifice fly from Joe Quire for the 5-4 lead.
 
The Sharks couldn't get a runner on in the final three innings.
 
Muneno (2-1) was tagged with the loss as he pitched 4.1 innings allowing two runs – one earned – on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Starter Brooks had one strikeout with five walks and three hits as APU plated three runs. Gesling hurled 2.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing one hit and three walks with four strikeouts.
 
The Cougars Kale Morton got a complete game, going all nine innings allowing four runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
 
The Sharks wrapped up their series with No. 1 Azusa Pacific and hits the road for a northern California trip starting with a doubleheader against Holy Names on Saturday at Alameda, Calif. First pitch is at 11 a.m. HST (2 p.m. PDT).