IRVINE, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University's Jack O'Brien hurled a gem last Friday night and earned himself PacWest Conference Pitcher of the Week honors as selected by the conference office.
 
O'Brien, a 6-4 sophomore righthander from San Diego/Westview via Palomar CC, opened the Sharks 2022 campaign with a bang. O'Brien tossed a perfect game in shutting down Providence Christian 10-0 in seven innings at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The righty dominated the Sea Beggars, striking out 10 in setting down 21 straight batters on just 80 pitches for the first perfect game in PacWest Conference history.
 
It is the second perfect game in Hawai'i Pacific baseball history. Ryan Evans pitched a perfect game in an 18-0 seven inning victory against Christian Brothers (Tenn.) on March 8, 1999 at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
O'Brien's gem is the first perfect game in PacWest Conference history and the 28th perfect game in the history of NCAA Division II, the first since Tanner Brown of Augustana (S.D.) and Cade Crader of Metro State Denver both pitched perfect games on March 27, 2021. HPU also became the first Division II institution to have two perfect games on the list that was started in 1957.
 
Joining O'Brien with weekly honors is Point Loma's Otto Kemp as Player of the Week.
 
The Sharks are back on the diamond this weekend when they host Saint Martin's of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in a five-game series at Hans L'Orange Park. Friday features a single game starting at 5 p.m., with a Saturday doubleheader starting at 2 p.m., and a Sunday doubleheader beginning at Noon.