AZUSA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University made a valiant comeback in the second game of its PacWest Conference doubleheader against No. 23 Azusa Pacific Saturday, but fell just short dropping that game 9-7 after losing 10-1 in the first game at the Cougar Baseball Complex.
 
The Sharks (16-14, 3-11) suffered their eighth straight loss in closing a southern California trip, while the Cougars (16-9, 6-2) collected their fourth straight win with the series sweep.
 
Sophomore third baseman Micah Layosa of Lihue, Hawai'i/Kauai was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Junior Jared Bannister of San Ramon, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd was 2-for-2 with a two-run home run, and junior Jake Selco of West Hills, Calif./El Camino Real added a pinch hit home run in the Sharks rally. Senior Jordan Mopas of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/St. Louis School provided a pinch hit home run for the only HPU score in game one.
 
Starting lefthander Conlan Myers (2-1) of Mesa, Ariz./Mountain View, got the loss in game one, going just an inning and two-thirds allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits and striking out three. Senior righthander Jordan Gesling of Lennox, S.D./Roosevelt struck out four in 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks. Sophomore righty Jake Hintze of Peoria, Ariz./Mountain Ridge finished up with a strikeout and a walk in one full inning.
 
Junior lefty Nick O'Conner (0-1) of Las Vegas, Nev./Chaparral got his first start, but suffered the loss in his first decision of the season. Junior Grant Dragmire of Elk Grove, Calif./Bradshaw Christian went one-third of an inning with two walks to allow two runs. Junior Travis Paynter of Port Angeles, Wash./Port Angeles recorded one inning with two runs on two hits and two walks, while senior Joshua Savea of Gold River, Calif./Rio Americano allowed a run on two hits and two walks in an inning. Senior Tyler Van Stone of Henderson, Nev./Foothill struckout three and allowed two hits in two innings.
 
The Cougars blasted the Sharks early in game one, collected six runs in the second inning, two in the third and two more in the fourth.
 
In the second, APU loaded the bases on two singles and a Shark throwing error before Tido Robles crushed a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left center for a grand slam, then gave up a two-out solo homer to Cole Kleszcz and an RBI double to Joe Quire to go up 6-0.
 
APU loaded the bases again in the third for Kleszcz to collect a two-RBI double, then in the fourth Griffen Herrera belted a two-run homer to left center for a 10-0 lead.
 
The Sharks, who had two hits going into the eighth, called on Mopas to pinch hit and he crashed a 2-2 pitch to left center for his fifth home run of the season.
 
Nick Estrella (4-0) picked up the win, striking out six and allowing the one run on three hits and a walk in 7.2 innings. Tayton Smith struck out two and allowed one hit in 1.1 innings.
 
The No. 23 Cougars struck again early in the seven-inning second game with eight runs in the second and third frames.
 
The Sharks added one in the top of the third when Layosa tripled down the right field line with a man on for an RBI. HPU trailed 8-1 after three.
 
Then the Sharks kicked things into gear in the top of the fifth, halving the lead to 8-4. Junior rightfielder Sean Coffey of Boise, Idaho/Centennial collected an RBI double, scored on a throwing error and leftfielder Mopas lofted a sacrifice fly for the three-run inning.
 
The Cougars loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth and scored when Herrera was hit by a pitch to give APU a 9-4 lead.
 
The Sharks rallied again in the seventh. After a leadoff single from senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle, Bannister came to the plate as the designated hitter and sent a 3-2 fastball over the centerfield fence for a two-run shot. Junior Jake Selco of West Hills, Calif./El Camino Real pinch hit next and buried an 0-1 pitch over in right for back-to-back homers and pulled HPU to within two a 9-7.
 
Declan Kearney (2-0) got the win for Azusa Pacific, recording five strikeouts while allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits and a walk. Smith faced a batter, hitting him. Spro Valaskos picked up a strikeout, but allowed the two home runs and another hit that plated three runs, all earned. Hayden Jorgenson got his first save of the year, allowing a hit and striking out two of the three batters he faced.
 
The Sharks return home to Hans L'Orange Park for a four-game PacWest series against Academy of Art next Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Next Saturday's doubleheader starts at 2 p.m.