HILO, Hawai`i—In a five-game baseball marathon between two teams that were picked to tie in the conference preseason poll, visiting Hawai`i Pacific won the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at Wong Stadium, 9-2.

The Sharks head back to Oahu having won the series between the rivals (3-2), but the Vulcans have a chance for payback next weekend, when HPU and UHH are set for a four-game series. With today's victory, Hawai`i Pacific is now 8-2 on the season while UH Hilo begins 2019 at 2-3.

Hawai`i scored three runs in the first inning, one in the second and two more in the third to account for all the scoring that they would need on this sunny and breezy afternoon. Freshman righthander Shane Adams made sure of that, pitching seven effective innings after his team gave him the early lead.

The Sharks jumped on Vulcan starting pitcher Thomas Warren for three runs via four hits in the first inning. They added another run in the second and two more in the third, chasing the senior pitcher from the game.

The Vulcans got one run back in the third inning when Casey Yamauchi singled and eventually came home on RJ Romo's single up the middle.

But Adams threw blanks other than that. He pitched seven innings in the second quality start of his young career, improving to 2-0 on the season. He scattered seven hits, walked just one batter and struck out four Vulcans.

The Sharks had 13 hits in the game, from 11 different players.

The Vulcans had nine hits but couldn't piece them together at the right time for more than the two runs. John Bicos doubled home a run in the ninth inning to account for the Vulcans second run.

The Vulcans and Sharks will begin next weekend's series with a Saturday doubleheader that will begin at 2 pm.