WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University started PacWest Conference play with a bang, handing state-rival Hawai'i Hilo an 11-6 loss on Thursday night at Hans L'Orange Park.
 
The Sharks (7-3, 1-0) used a four-run third inning to grab the lead from the Vulcans (9-3, 0-1) and never trailed again.
 
The Sharks exploded offensively with 11 run on 13 hits and took advantage of three UH Hilo errors. Junior Richard Higa of Honolulu/University Lab led the way, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Sophomore Jonathan Lucio of Granada Hills, Calif./Kennedy went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored.
 
Sophomore lefthander Giancarlo Cortez of San Diego/St. Augustine (3-0) collected his third win in relief, entering in the top of the fourth and hurling the rest of the game. Cortez allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Sophomore righthanded starter Jack O'Brien of San Diego/Westview got no decision going 4.2 innings allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
 
UH Hilo starter James Yamasaki (1-1) took the loss allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits in 2.2 innings with a walk and a strikeout. Ty Honda was one of the four relievers for the Vulcans going 3.0 innings allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
 
The Vulcans took the early lead thanks to a fielding error and an RBI double for the 1-0 lead.
 
HPU got on the board in a big way in the third. After Lucio got on base by being hit, the Sharks scored him on an RBI single from redshirt sophomore Nicholas Jio of San Diego/Scripps Ranch to tie the game, then took the lead on an RBI double from Higa. The Sharks plated two more runs thanks to a pair of Vulcan errors for the 4-2 lead.
 
UHH added two in the top of the fourth to pull within a run at 4-3, only to have HPU score two more following another Vulcan error allowed runners to move up before another Higa double for a 6-3 advantage.
 
The Vulcans added a run on a balk in the fifth, but the Sharks answered with three more on a Lucio RBI single, an RBI double from junior Kyle Layugan of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute, and a wild pitch to score Lucio to go up 9-4.
 
UHH scored single runs in the seventh and ninth, while the Sharks plated two more runs in the eighth on an RBI triple by sophomore Cole Kashimoto of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Saint Louis and an RBI fielders choice by sophomore Hayden Huff of Riverside, Calif./Woodcrest Christian.
 
The Sharks and Vulcans play four more games in the series, with doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. The first game on Friday is a PacWest Conference contest, while the other three are designated non-conference games. Friday's twinbill starts at 2 p.m., while Saturday's doubleheader begins a 10 a.m., with all games at Hans L'Orange Park.