WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University kept its 2022 record perfect as the Sharks swept visiting Providence Christian in the second doubleheader of the season at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (4-0) beat the Sea Beggars (2-12) 13-3 in eight innings, then came back with a 6-3 triumph in the scheduled seven-inning nightcap to sweep the four-game series.
 
The Sharks never trailed in the series and utilized 25 of their 36 student-athletes on their roster in the two games.
 
The HPU offense was highlighted by the 3-for-3 game by sophomore Jonathan Lucio of Granada Hills, Calif./Kennedy, along with home runs by Pepperdine graduate transfer T.J. Smith of Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley and senior Diego Harris of Los Angeles/Crespi.
 
Junior righthander Erik Peterson of San Jose, Calif./King's Academy picked up his first win of the season in the first game, throwing five shutout innings allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five.
 
Freshman righty Blake Harrison of Diamond Bar, Calif./Bishop Amat won his first collegiate start in his first collegiate appearance, striking out five in four shutout innings allowing two hits with a walk. Sophomore Makana Quia of Waipahu, Hawai'i/Waipahu recorded the first save of the season, with three strikeouts in 1.1 innings with a run on four hits and a walk.
 
HPU built up a 12-1 run through six innings of the first game, but the Sea Beggars plated two runs in the top of the seventh to make it a nine-run lead at 12-3. The Sharks would end the game in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded wild pitch to score senior Cole Kashimoto of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Saint Louis to make it 13-3.
 
Saturday's final game was the closest of the series. HPU got its first run in the second with a leadoff triple by senior D.J. Stevens of Nanakuli, Hawai'i/Saint Louis and scoring on a groundout. The Sharks added two more in the third on a two-RBI double from junior Elijah Maris of Atlanta, Ga./Bloomington (Ind.) University for a 3-0 lead.
 
PCC added two runs in the top of the sixth to pull within one at 3-2, but the Sharks plated three in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by sophomore Mackenzee Higuchi of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga, a stolen base with an error on an overthrow to allow Kashimoto, pinch running for Higuchi, to score, and Harris' home run to left center.
 
The Sea Beggars scratched out a run in the top of the seventh on a one-out bases loaded walk, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the contest 6-3.
 
HPU is back in action next weekend, hosting the Great Northwest Conference's Saint Martin's in a five-game series that starts with a single contest on Friday, Feb. 18. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Hans L'Orange Park.