HILO, Hawai'i – For the second night in a row, Hawai'i Pacific University and Hawai'i Hilo split a doubleheader at Wong Stadium on Saturday.
 
The Sharks (7-2) took the seven inning nightcap 11-1, as the Vulcans (2-2) won the first game 5-4 in 12 innings in the non-conference games.
 
HPU was led on the day by senior leftfielder Jordan Mopas of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/St. Louis School who went 7-for-11 at the plate with five RBIs, including his second home run of the season. Sophomore third baseman Micah Layosa of Lihue, Hawai'i/Kauai was 4-for-9 with four runs scored.
 
The first game was a heartbreaker for the Sharks, who let a three-run lead go by the boards, but came back with a ninth inning run to tie the game and lost it in the 12th.
 
HPU got a run in the first as Layosa scored when freshman infielderDylan Kurahasi-Choy Foo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. In the second the Sharks plated two more on an RBI single by junior rightfielder Sean Coffey of Boise, Idaho/Centennial, followed by an RBI double from Mopas.
 
The Vulcans tied the game in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, a fielding error and an RBI single accounted for the three runs. UH Hilo went up 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth on another sacrifice fly.
 
Entering the ninth down one, Layosa doubled down the line and was brought home on an RBI single from senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle to knot the game at 4-4.
 
The game held at 4-4 until the bottom of the 12th, when UHH loaded bases on a single, fielder's choice and a bunt single for centerfielder Kyle Yamada, who had saved the game with diving catch in the 11th. Yamada singled the center to win drive home the winning run for the 5-4 victory.
 
Junior righthanded reliever Travis Paynter of Port Angeles, Wash./Port Angeles (0-1) took the loss for the Sharks allowing the winning run on three hits and a walk in 1.1 innings pitched. UH Hilo reliever John Kea (1-0) got the win, throwing 3.2 innings with three hits and two strikeouts.
 
The seven-inning second game was scoreless until the third. That's when the Sharks broke it open with five runs and never looked back.  After loading the bases on a single, a ground rule double and a walk, senior centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City belted a two RBI single to left. A throwing error after a bunt single from Layosa brought home another run and Mopas ripped an RBI single to left. Layosa came home for the fifth run of the inning on another fielding error and HPU led 5-0.
 
The Vulcans responded with a single from Mikey Rita, who advanced to second on a passed ball and then stole third. A ground out to shortstop drove home Rita to cut the HPU lead to 5-1.
 
The Sharks added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by junior shortstop Matt Tsutomi of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City, then collected another five run inning in the sixth.
 
HPU got a pair of walks to lead off the inning before Mopas crushed a 3-1 pitch completely outside of Wong Stadium in left center for his second homer of the season. The Sharks once again loaded the bases on a double, single and walk, Tsutomi drove in another run with the bases-loaded walk. Tokunaga followed with another walk that gave the Sharks the 11-1 lead.
 
Sophomore lefthanded reliever Conlan Myers of Mesa, Ariz./Mountain View struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh for the win. Myers (1-0) picked up the victory, pitching four innings of one hit ball, walking one and striking out six. Starting sophomore righty Evan Spitzer of Mesa, Ariz./Desert Ridge was lifted after three innings, allowing the one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
The Sharks and Vulcans square off in Hilo one more time on Sunday, with a single nine-inning non-conference game at Wong Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.