HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University junior Joshua Muneno threw a six-hit, complete game shutout in leading HPU to a 12-0 victory at Hawai'i Hilo in a non-conference contest at Wong Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Sharks (20-27, 13-25) used a six-run fourth inning to put away the Vulcans (20-25, 16-20) and take the three-game series on the Big Island.
 
Muneno (3-2), a lefthander from Honolulu/Maryknoll, struck out five Vulcans and did not issue a walk in the six-hit shutout win.
 
Senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle, was 3-for-6 on the day with a home run, two runs scored and four RBIs. Sophomore rightfielder Ryan Torres-Torioka of Holualoa, Hawai'i/Konawaena, was 3-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, four runs scored and an RBI.
 
UH Hilo starter Drew Ichikawa (2-2) picked up the loss in going 3.1 innings allowing six runs on seven hits with two walks. Cole Nakachi went 1.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits, while Deric Valoroso pitched 2.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits with a walk. Kekai Mahiko toss two innings of one-hit ball with a strikeout.
 
HPU started the scoring barrage in the third inning, when junior centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City, led off with a single to right, advanced to second on an Ichikawa balk and to third on a wild pitch. Torres-Torioka followed with an RBI single to short. Junior designated hitter Marc Sauceda of Temecula, Calif./Chaparral then smacked an RBI double and HPU was up 2-0 and never trailed again.
 
The Sharks all but put the game away in the fourth, coming up with six runs on seven hits. Senior shortstop Mitchell Bumann of Corona, Calif./Temescal Canyon, opened the inning with a single to center, then stole third and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Senior catcher Kreston Woods of Tempe, Ariz./DeNiza immediately followed with an RBI single to center and redshirt freshman Joe Morin of Upland, Calif./Upland added single down the left field line as HPU was up 4-0. After the first out of the inning, Torres-Torioka walked to load the bases for Kapeliela who bashed a two-RBI single to left for a 6-0 advantage. Freshman third baseman Micah Layosa of Lihue, Hawai'i/Kauai laced an RBI single down the left field line and senior second baseman Froy Smith of Kanehoe, Hawai'i/Castle added an RBI single to center as the Sharks were up 8-0 when the inning ended.
 
After holding the Vulcans at bay in the bottom of the fourth, HPU added two more runs in the fifth as Morin opened the inning with a triple to right and Tokunaga plated him with a sacrifice fly to center field. Torres-Torioka got a ground rule double to center in bouncing the ball over the fence, and scored on Sauceda's RBI  single to first in giving the Sharks a 10-0 lead.
 
HPU added two more  in the seventh when Torres-Torioka singled and Kapeliela crashed a two-run homer, his eighth of the season.
 
Muneno and the Sharks mowed down the Vulcans three-up, three-down in the last three innings to clinch his second complete game of the season and his first shutout.
 
The games were the final road contests for the Sharks. HPU will host the Vulcans, their PacWest travel partner, in a final three-game series next weekend at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu. The teams play a 6 p.m. contest on Saturday, then end the season with a doubleheader starting at Noon on Sunday.