AZUSA, Calif. – Hawai'i Pacific University lost both ends of a PacWest Conference doubleheader on Friday, as Azusa Pacific claimed 3-2 and 11-1 (5 innings) wins at Cougar Softball Complex.
 
The Sharks (14-15, 8-8) saw the first game won by the Cougars (18-13, 12-6) with a walkoff, two-run inside the park home run. Then seven errors in the second game spelled doom for the Sharks in the run-rule shortened contest.
 
Freshman Taylor Thompson of Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle (8-8) suffered the first game loss as all three APU runs were caused by inside-the-park homeruns. Thompson allowed the three runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
 
In the second contest, senior Malia Torres of Danville, Calif./Monte Vista (6-7) suffered from the seven errors behind her, allowing 11 runs, just two earned, on nine hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.
 
Junior Noel "Tita" Saunders of Pearl City, Hawai'i/Pearl City went 3-for-3 at the plate in the first game for the Sharks, while freshman Neva Poulin of Corona, Calif./Norco went 2-for-5 in the twinbill.
 
HPU grabbed the lead in the opener after junior Brandi Leong of Wahiawa, Hawai'i/Leilehua drew a leadoff walk in the first, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and caught the Cougars not paying attention to steal home for the 1-0 lead.
 
APU countered with the first batter in the bottom of the first when Olivia Smith got the ball in a corner to get an inside-the-park home run to knot the game at 1-1.
 
HPU took the lead in the fourth when freshman Savanna Salyer-Kovacs led off the inning with a single, went to third on a sacrifice and single, then scored on Thompson's sacrifice fly for the 2-1 advantage.
 
That score held until the bottom of the seventh. After HPU retired the first two batters, Smith got a single, then pinch hitter Katie Korstrom dropped a 3-2 pitch into the corner and circled the bases for a two-run inside-the-park walkoff homer for the 3-2 win.
 
APU reliever Liz Phillips got the win, pitching three innings allowing only one hit. Sydnie Sahhar went four innings but allowed two runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
The second game had strong Cougar pitching and the defensive woes of the Sharks.
 
APU scored one in the first on an RBI single, then added three more in the second thanks to three errors for a 4-0 lead.
 
But it was a disastrous bottom of the fourth that killed the Sharks. HPU committed another three error inning, but with six hits from the Cougars to go with it, APU plated seven runs to take an 11-0 lead.
 
The Sharks, who had collected a hit in the first inning, got a leadoff double in the fifth from Salyer-Kovacs, who went to third on a groundout and scored on an RBI groundout by junior Leipua Kaui of Kapa'a, Hawai'i/Kapa'a for HPU's lone run in the 11-1 contest halted by the run-rule.
 
APU's Korstrom (9-2) grabbed the win, allowing the one run on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in the five inning complete game.
 
The Sharks and Cougars are in action in another doubleheader on Saturday to conclude the series. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. HST (Noon PDT) at the Cougar Softball Complex.