KANEOHE - The Hawaii Pacific University softball team completed the sweep of Azusa Pacific University Friday afternoon at Howard A. Okita Field.

The Sharks (9-16, 5-7 PacWest) found their offense scoring their most runs in a series this season. The Cougars (10-11, 2-6) head to Hilo next to finish out their Hawaiian Islands trip.

Game One
Both teams struggled to get any runs across in the first three innings. With the Cougars back up to bat in the top of the fourth inning a ball that found the right-center gap opened up the scoring as they took a 1-0 lead in the back half of the game.

The Sharks were running out of chances and came through clutch in the bottom of the sixth. Noel "Tita" Saunders led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. A sac bunt moved her into scoring position where Hailey Yoshida hit a rocket to the third baseman that bounced off her glove and allowed both runners to be safe. With Saunders on third Jewel Larson dropped down a squeeze bunt and scored the first run for the Sharks. Neva Poulin added to the scoreboard on the next at-bat with a single up the middle scoring both runners. 

HPU did not stop there, with two outs Tiari Hernandez roped one to the left-center gap and scored another pair of runs. Having batted around Saunders found herself back up and joined the party with a two-run single up the middle as the Sharks took a 7-1 lead.

The Cougars battled in the seventh after an error sparked some life into the lineup and the first three batters reached base with two of those scoring before the first out was recorded. The Sharks defense remained poised and collected the last two outs for a 7-3 victory in game one.

Yoshida also on the mound for Hawaii picked up her third win and allowed three runs on seven hits with a trio of strikeouts.

Poulin and Hernandez paced the Sharks with two hits each, while the trio of Saunders, Hernandez, and Poulin all had a multi-RBI game.

Game Two
The Sharks jumped out early with Hernandez going deep in her first at-bat for her first homer of the season. HPU loaded the bases later in the inning when a passed ball scored another run for a 2-0 lead in the first.

Hawaii Pacific kept up the momentum in the second inning with Hernandez getting on first. Brand Leong and Saunder followed up with singles to score a run. With Kanoe Tanigawa up a ball in the dirt got to the backstop and scored another run to put the Sharks up 4-0.

Azusa bounced back for a run in the top of the fourth after a single and a near-home run off the top of the wall put them down 4-1.

However, HPU kept their foot on the gas putting up two more in the bottom of the fourth. All with two outs the bats got hot with three singles and a walk Tanigawa picked up an RBI and Yoshida after her.

APU picked up another run in the top of the sixth after a pair of errors allowed the first two batters to reach base. A walk loaded the bases and the Sharks managed to walk away only allowing one run and took a 6-2 lead that would eventually turn into the final score.

Leong led the Sharks with three hits, while four total players had multi-hit games.

Taylor Thompson picked up her second win of the weekend as she allowed one earned run, five hits and grabbed three strikeouts.

The Sharks host Emporia State University on Tuesday, March 14 for their last home series until April. The first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. HT.