WAIPAHU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Pacific University opened its final home series with a bang on Wednesday, sweeping a PacWest Conference doubleheader from Academy of Art 6-3 and 25-7.
 
The Sharks (15-16, 9-11) tied a school record with 28 hits in game two against the Urban Knights (9-24, 3-15) set in 2015 at Hawai'i Hilo. The 25 runs scored just missed school marks in runs in a game (28 vs Rockford in 1993) and the 22 RBIs were one shy of the school mark as well (23 vs Rockford in 1993). Game one saw two HPU inside-the-park home runs and a steal of home in the win.
 
The offensive star for the Sharks was sophomore Cole Kashimoto of Kaneohe, Hawai'i/Saint Louis who went 6-for-8 in the two games, with three RBIs and five runs scored, including the swipe of home. Freshman T.J. Smith of Sacramento, Calif./Laguna Creek went 4-for-6 in game two with a double, a triple, six RBIs and a two runs scored.
 
HPU gave up a 2-1 lead in game one by allowing two runs in the top of the seventh, but answered with a four-run bottom of the eighth for the 6-3 win. In the nightcap, the Sharks plated seven runs in both the first and second innings on the way to rolling the Urban Knights.
 
Sophomore reliever Eddie Lee of Honolulu/Kalani (2-1) got the win allowing one run on two hits with J strikeout in 1.2 innings. Starter Giancarlo Cortez did get a decision after allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Sophomore Makana Quia of Waipahu, Hawai'i/Waipahu collected his third save by pitching a perfect ninth inning.
 
Junior Erik Peterson of San Jose, Calif./King's Academy (2-2) picked up the victory in relief as the most effective pitcher in game two, striking out three in two scoreless-hitless innings. Starter Markus Ramos of Ewa Beach, Hawai'i/Campbell got no decision by going just three innings (of the five needed for the win) allowing a run on two hits and a walk. Freshman Ryan Schuelke of Austin, Texas/Austin HS allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits with two strikeouts in two innings, junior Brooks Horton of Aiea, Hawai'i/University Lab allowed four unearned runs on two hits with a walk in two-thirds of an inning and sophomore Daniel Cortez of Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Ranch allowed one hit with one strikeout in an inning-and-a third to conclude the game for the Sharks.
 
HPU grabbed the early lead in game one as redshirt sophomore Nicholas Jio of San Diego/Scripps Ranch sent a rocket into centerfield that kicked away from the converging fielder and rolled to the fence. Jio raced around the bases for an inside-the-par home run, his second of the season.
 
The Urban Knights used a triple and single to knot the game at 1-1 in the third before HPU retook the lead in the sixth. Kashimoto got a two-out single, stole second and advanced on a wild pitch to third. Seeing the slow delivery to the plate by ART U starter Brian Kraft, Kashimoto made a dash for the plate with the left-handed batting Jio at the dish. Kashimoto got in just before the delivery from the mound for the steal and a 2-1 lead.
 
That was short-lived as Urban Knight Emil Jellinek crushed a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left center with a man aboard for a 3-2 ART U lead in the seventh.
 
But in the eighth, Jio led off with a single, and after a flyout, senior D.J. Stephens of Nanakuli, Hawai'i/Saint Louis ripped a shot that bounced off the fence in right center. Stephens brought in Jio, but also rounded the bases and beat the throw to home for the Sharks second inside-the-park homer of the game and a 4-3 lead. A hit batsman and a steal set up Kashimoto for an RBI single. Then two more hit batsmen allowed the chance for Kashimoto to score on an RBI fielder's choice by sophomore Jonathan Lucio of Granada Hills, Calif./Kennedy and the 6-3 lead.
 
Kraft (0-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits with a walk and eight Shark strikeouts. Morgan Edwards allowed two more runs on a hit without retiring a batter, and Cole Shafer recorded two outs in the only batters he faced.
 
Game two saw ART U score first with a single and RBI double in the opening frame, the came HPU's first time to the plate.
 
The Sharks opened with a Jio single, then HPU added a hit batsman. A double steal and a throwing error plated Jio, and Smith followed with an RBI triple to put the Sharks up to stay 2-1. But HPU wasn't done. After the second out of the inning, a passed ball scored Smith, with freshman Mackenzee Higuchi of Aiea, Hawai'i/Mid-Pacific Institute adding an RBI single, Lucio an RBI double and Jio returned for a two-RBI single to give the Sharks a 7-1 lead.
 
Then in the bottom of the seven, HPU did it again. Senior Braxton Wehrle of Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman chalked up an RBI single, junior Richard Higa of Honolulu/University Lab added an RBI double, Higuchi another RBI double, Lucio an RBI single, Kashimoto an RBI single and Smith capped it with a two-RBI single putting the Sharks up 14-1 after two frames.
 
Not content, the Sharks plated four more in the third to move the score to 18-1. ART U posted two runs in the third and the 18-3 score stayed until the seventh.
 
In the bottom of the inning, with no mercy rule in effect, the Sharks exploded for six more runs – including a two-RBI double by Smith and an RBI double from freshman Arrix Rios of Visalia, Calif./El Diamante.
 
ART U scored four in the top of the eight, but the Sharks got one back on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Haydon Huff of Riverside, Calif./Woodcrest Christian to give HPU the 25-7 win.
 
Starter Dallen Turner (1-3) took the loss allowing seven runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Shafer came in for 1.1 innings, allowing 10 runs on 12 hits with a walk, while Joseph Anderson posted seven runs on nine hits with two walks in 4.2 innings. Liam Rizzo allowed a run on two hits with two walks for the Urban Knights in 1.1 innings.
 
The Sharks conclude the series against the Urban Knights on Thursday with a doubleheader. It's the final home games of the 2022 season for HPU, with Senior Night activities to follow the second game. The action starts with a 2 p.m. first pitch in game one at Hans L'Orange Park.