WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University sophomore righthander Jack O'Brien hurled a seven-inning perfect game to lead HPU in a season-opening doubleheader sweep of Providence Christian 10-0 and 13-0 in five innings on Friday night at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (2-0) got run-rule wins in both contests against the NAIA Sea Beggars (2-10) with the scheduled nine inning first game cut to seven frames and the schedule seven inning nightcap shortened to five.
 
O'Brien, a 6-4 sophomore from San Diego/Westview who transferred from Palomar College, was making his first start for the Sharks in the season opening first game. O'Brien retired all 21 Sea Beggars he faced, striking out 10 while not surrendering a walk in getting the gem with 80 pitches in seven innings.
 
Two HPU hurlers combined for a four hitter without allowing a walk in the five inning second game. Starting junior righty Cole Mayeshiro got no decision going three innings allowing three hits with a strikeout, while sophomore lefthander Giancarlo Cortez of San Diego/St. Augustine via Southwestern CC got the win striking out six batters in two innings allowing one hit.
 
Offensively, redshirt sophomore Nicholas Jio of San Diego/Scripps Ranch, came off missing last year due to an injury with a 4-for-6 day, with six RBI and four runs scored in the doubleheader, including a three-run inside-the-park home run in the second game. Junior Richard Higa of Honolulu/University Lab was 4-for-8 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored, while junior transfer Elijah Maris of Atlanta, Ga./Bloomington (Ind.) University and Ventura College was 2-for-6 with an RBI and four runs scored.
 
HPU plated two runs in the first and one in the fourth in the first contest before breaking things open with a three-run fifth and a four-run sixth. In adding to getting 13 hits in the opener, HPU also collected five walks and took advantage of two PCC errors for their 10 runs.
 
In the second contest, the Sharks plated one run in the first, two in the second and third, then exploded for eight runs thanks in part to three errors in the fourth inning. The Sea Beggars had a total of five errors in the contest as 11 of the Sharks 13 runs were unearned.
 
The Sharks and Sea Beggars play again on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. at Hans L'Orange Park.