WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University fought back for a come-from-behind victory in the first game, then ran well with the lead in the second at HPU swept a non-conference doubleheader from Hawai'i Hilo 8-7 and 4-2 on Sunday at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (2-2) won their home opener when senior first baseman Jared Bannister of San Ramon, Calif./Bishop O'Dowd, belted a two-RBI triple to left center in the eighth for HPU's first lead of game, then held on for the win in the ninth. The Sharks scored twice in the first in game two and never trailed again in beating the Vulcans (2-4) in a game called in the bottom of the seventh because of a travel curfew.
 
Bannister led the Sharks offensive attack, going 4-for-7 on the afternoon with a triple, two runs scored, two RBI and two walks. Senior utility man Marc Sauceda of Temecula, Calif./Chaparral went 3-for-6 with a run scored, two RBI and a walk as the designated hitter in both contests. He also picked up the win in relief in game one on the mound, as the lefty allowed one run without a hit, struck out two, and walked three in 1.2 innings.
 
Junior righthander Evan Spitzer of Mesa, Ariz./Desert Ridge, got the game one start, going four innings with three runs on five hits and two strikeouts. Junior Brandon Peterson of Stockton, Calif./Excel Academy, gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits in two innings. Senior lefty Nick O'Connor of Las Vegas, Nev./Chaparral got an out on the only batter he faced, while senior Grant Dragmire of Elk Grove, Calif./Bradshaw Christian faced two batters and recorded a strikeout. Freshman righty Jason Shiigi of Mililani, Hawai'i/Mililani faced three batters, allowing a hit and recording a strikeout.
 
Sophomore righthander Shane Adams (1-1) of Honolulu/Mid-Pacific Institute hurled 5.1 innings allowing two unearned runs and four hits while striking out four and walking one to get the win. Junior righty Zack McHone of Bakersfield, Calif./Liberty Hills recorded HPU's first save of the season, with 1.2 innings of perfect ball, facing five batters with two strikeouts.
 
The Sharks and Vulcans had opportunities in the first three scoreless innings of the opening game, only to have the Vulcans take a 3-0 lead on John Bicos three-run blast to right center in the top of the fourth.
 
But the Sharks responded in the bottom of the fourth after singles by junior catcher Brandon Booz of Turlock, Calif./Turlock and Sauceda that set the table for senior third baseman Joseph Gallagher of Sacramento, Calif./Del Campo. Gallagher launched a towering shot that drifted over the fence just left of dead centerfield to knot the game at 3-all.
 
The Vulcans added two more in the fifth, only to have HPU answer with a leadoff solo homerun from junior centerfielder Diego Harris of Los Angeles/Crespi, and an RBI double down the rightfield line by Booz.
 
UHH scored a single run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Igawa, only to have HPU retaliate with a leadoff single by senior leftfielder Sean Coffey of Boise, Idaho/Centennial, who worked his way around the bases and tied the game at 6-6 on a passed ball.
 
After holding the Vulcans scoreless in the eighth, the Sharks got a two-out single from Harris and a walk from Coffey off reliever Brandyn Lee-Lehano. The Vulcans brought in ace reliever John Kea to face Bannister who sent a rocket shot to the base of the fence in left center for the two-run triple to give HPU an 8-6 lead.
 
The Vulcans got their first two batters on via walks by Sauceda, but tried to double-steal with Rustin Ho thrown out at second. After a strikeout, UHH's Casey Yamauchi scored on a wild pitch to pull within a run at 8-7. But Sauceda shut down the contest by striking out Lawson Faria for the win.
 
Lee-Lehano (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits with a strikeout and two walks. Starter Jacob Liberta got no decision after 4.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Christian DeJesus allowed a run on two hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings and Kea allowed just the one hit while facing two batters.
 
The Vulcans drew first blood in the opening inning of game two, as Yamauchi got a leadoff single, and later scored on a Shark fielding error for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Sharks came right back to tie the game with two out in the first as Bannister singled and junior rightfielder Braxton Wehrle of Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman drew a walk to set up Sauceda who singled through the right side and moved Wehrle to third. Sophomore catcher Kyle Layugan of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute rifled a ball that went through the legs of UH Hilo third baseman Lucas Sakay for an error that allowed Wehrle to cross for the 2-1 lead. HPU led the rest of the contest.
 
The Sharks added a run in the third as Wehrle scored on Sauceda's RBI single. In the fifth the Sharks added an insurance run after Harris was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Harris stole third and the throw to try to get him was high, allowing Harris to score on the throwing error for a 4-1 lead.
 
The Vulcans added another unearned run in the sixth, as Kanberra posted an RBI single to left to score pinch runner Gaven Palagonia who had advanced on an error during a pickoff.
 
HPU reliever McHone came in to shut down the rally, then set the Vulcans down 1-2-3 in the seventh.
 
HPU had just received a two-out walk by Bannister when the game reached the travel curfew and was halted in the bottom of the seven.
 
The Sharks are idle until Friday, Feb. 21 when they welcome Drury (Mo.) to Hans L'Orange Park for a five-game series that starts with a doubleheader at 4:30 p.m.