WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University got outstanding pitching and timely hitting to rack up a 3-2 PacWest Conference win over Azusa Pacific to open a four-game series Thursday night at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (5-5, 1-2) picked up their first conference win while the Cougars (5-8, 0-3) remained winless in the league.
 
A pair of sophomore Mid-Pacific Institute grads, catcher Kyle Layugan and pitcher Shane Adams, provided the spark for the Sharks.
 
Layugan of Wahiawa, Hawai'i, bashed a two-RBI double off of third base to drive in the winning runs in the sixth inning. It was his only hit in four at-bats.
 
Adams, a righthander from Honolulu, carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before surrendering two runs on three hits. Adams (2-1) struck out 10 APU batters and allowed two walks.  Senior righty Grant Dragmire of Elk Grove, Calif./Bradshaw Christian, pitched three innings of one-hit ball, allowing a walk and striking out four to collect his first save of the season.
 
Junior centerfielder Diego Harris of Los Angeles/Crespi was 2-of-4 at the plate in the leadoff position.
 
HPU scored the first run in the bottom of the second when senior second baseman Matt Tsutomi of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City smacked a one-out double and scored on an RBI single from freshman shortstop Nicholas Jio of San Diego/Scripps Ranch.
 
HPU kept that lead until the sixth, when Azusa got to Adams. After a leadoff single, the Cougars scored on a Casey Dykstra RBI double to tie the game. An RBI single from Griffen Herrera put APU up 2-1.
 
But in the bottom of the inning, junior rightfielder Braxton Wehrle of Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman led off with a double to right. Senior Sean Coffey of Boise, Idaho/Centennial added a single and Tsutomi was hit to load the bases for Layugan's rocket off the bag to give HPU a 3-2 lead.
 
Dragmire came in in the seventh and shut down the Cougars the rest of the way.
 
HPU and Azusa meet again on Friday night at 6:30 p.m., then play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., all at Hans L'Orange Park.