KANEOHE, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University swept a doubleheader to open its 2020 home season in beating the University of British Columbia 8-3 and 9-5 on Monday at Howard Okita Field.
 
The Sharks (5-4) got back in the win column with the sweep, while the Thunderbirds (1-3) dropped their third straight.
 
The Sharks were led offensively by senior Sierra Dias of Mililani, Hawai'i/Bishop Gorman and Noel "Tita" Saunders of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City who both went 3-for-6 with two runs scored. Dias had a triple and Saunders posted an RBI. HPU got three RBIs each from both senior Brazzlyn Tovio-Asato of Kapolei, Hawai'i/University Lab and sophomore first baseman Leipua Kaui of Kapa 'a, Hawai'i/Kapa'a.
 
Junior lefthander Megan Wilson (1-0) of Santa Clarita, Calif./West Ranch picked up her first win of the season in game one, hurling four innings without allowing a run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Wilson came in relief of freshman righthander Ashlee Laver of Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge who pitched into the fourth inning before being hit with by a comeback line drive. She tried to continue but was ineffective finishing with a line of three runs, all earned, on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
Junior righthander Malia Torres (3-2) of Danville, Calif./Monte Vista collected a complete game win in the second contest, allowing five runs, three earned, on nine hits with five walks and three strikeouts.
 
HPU jumped out of the gate quickly in the first game, posting five runs in the first two innings. The Sharks took advantage of three hits and three errors to score three runs in the opening frame, and scored twice on a Kaui RBI ground out and an RBI single from Tovio-Asato in the second to lead 5-0.
 
The T-Birds scored three times in the third and fourth innings to close the gap to 5-3.
 
But in the fourth, junior Mary Dungey of Las Vegas, Nev./Silverado gave HPU a run on an RBI single, and in the fifth sophomore Kanoe Tanigawa of Mililani, Hawai'i/Mililani put HPU up 8-3 with an RBI double.
 
UBC starter Megan Hendrickson (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned on five hits with three walks and a strikeout in two innings. Shelby Kempel followed with three runs, two earned on five hits with a walk and a strikeout in three innings, with Gabby Goco pitching the last inning allowing just a walk.
 
The Thunderbirds took advantage of a costly HPU error and added three hits for three runs in the first inning of the second game and posted a fourth run on a throwing error in the second for a 4-0 lead.
 
HPU came back with two runs in the bottom of the second when Dungey scored on a wild pitch and Kaui laid down an RBI sacrifice bunt. But it was the bottom of the third when the Sharks bit back.
 
Dias laced a one-out triple to get things started and scored on a wild pitch. After loading the bases, Kaui drew a walk to tie the game. Dungey then scored on another wild pitch, followed by a two-RBI single from Tovio-Asato and the Sharks led 7-4.
 
HPU added to the score with an RBI single from Saunders in the fourth and a throwing error that plated freshman pinch runner Keiana Sieu of San Ramon, Calif./Dougherty Valley in the fifth. UBC added a run on an RBI double from Hanna Hansen in the top of the fifth.
 
T-Bird starter Damara Begin (0-2) took the loss allowing seven runs on three hits and five walks in 2.2 innings. Hendrickson relieved allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
 
The Sharks open PacWest Conference play on Saturday when cross-town rival Chaminade visits Howard Okita Field. First pitch is slated for Noon.