WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University senior Josh Savea struck out eight and allowed three hits in leading HPU to a 6-0 PacWest Conference shutout against Holy Names to start the season-ending four-game series Thursday night at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (22-25, 9-20) got back on the winning track, while the Hawks (11-27, 8-17) lost their fifth straight.
 
Savea (2-2), a righthander from Gold River, Calif./Rio Americano, collected his second win this season, throwing seven innings of shutout ball, with three walks to go with his eight K's and three hits. Freshman righty Cole Mayeshiro of Mililani, Hawai'i/Mililani, struck out one in a perfect inning of relief, and senior righty Christian Miller of Bremerton, Wash./Central Kitsap, struck out one, walked one, and allowed a hit in one scoreless inning to wrap up the contest.
 
Freshman catcher Kyle Layugan of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute was 3-for-3 with a run scored, while senior centerfielder Tanner Tokunaga of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City went 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk. Sophomore designated hitter Micah Layosa of Lihue, Hawai'i/Kauai and freshman third baseman Dylan Kurahasi-Choy Foo of Waimanalo, Hawai'i/Kailua were both 2-for-4.
 
The Sharks plated three runs in the second to open the scoring, with additional runs in the fifth, seventh, and eighth innings.
 
In the second, HPU loaded the bases with two singles and a throwing error to set up Kurahasi-Choy Foo's RBI single to center. Tokunaga followed with a hard shot down the left field line for a two RBI single and a 3-0 lead.
 
In the fifth, HPU added a run when senior leftfielder Jordan Mopas of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/St. Louis School, reached on an error, moved to third on a single and scored on a balk.
 
The seventh saw senior first baseman Christian Kapeliela of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Castle, reach on walk, and Layosa laydown a perfect bunt up the third base line for a hit, as the Hawk third baseman had an errant throw allowing Kapeliela to go to third. Mopas scored Kapeliela on a sacrifice fly to center.
 
HPU final run scored in the eighth as the Sharks loaded the bases for junior pinch hitter Jared Bannister of San Ramon, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd to bring home the run with a sacrifice fly.
 
The Sharks pitching was masterful, scattering a total of four hits and holding HNU to one runner to third.
 
Holy Names starter Jay Guerrero allowed five runs, two earned, on 11 hits with a walk and a strikeout in 6.1 innings. Robbie McIntosh finished up with 1.2 innings, allowing an unearned run on a hit and two walks.
 
The Sharks and Hawks play the second game of the series on Friday at 6 p.m., the closes the season with a doubleheader at 2 p.m., all at Hans L'Orange Park.