(photo of Ryan Cho courtesy of Rick Ogata)

HILO, Hawai`i--Visiting Hawaii Pacific was just three outs from completing a doubleheader sweep of host UH Hilo, with darkness falling and the last flight out of HIlo waiting for them.

Leading 7-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth, UH Hilo exploded for five runs and then quickly volunteered the final out with the darkness/fight clock ticking to take the 9-7 bizarre ending win. With the Sharks winning the doubleheader opener 7-4, the two teams split the twinbill but the Vulcans took three of four to win the series.

UH Hilo improved to 3-4 overall and to 2-1 in the Pacific West Conference. The Sharks won their first game of 2021 in Sunday's opener and are now 1-7 on the season and 1-3 in conference play. 

In the opener, UHH lefty starter Cameron Scudder fanned 11 batters in 5.2 strong innings, but his bullpen couldn't hold and the Sharks rallied for the 7-4 win.

The 6-foot-5 Chandler-Gilbert CC (Arizona) transfer was dealing after giving up an unearned run in the first inning. He faced seven batters in the first, but settled in after that striking out 11 batters over the next four stanzas. Leading 3-1, he finally faced a little trouble in the sixth, giving up a base hit and a walk before the bullpen took over.

But after pitching lights out on Saturday, Cody Hirata and Takashi Umino couldn't put out the flame on Sunday. Another walk followed by a Cole Kashimoto two-run double gave HPU a 4-3 lead. They would add two more runs in the seventh and another in the ninth for the 7-4 win.

The Vulcans had 14 hits in the game, but left 13 runners on base in the nine-inning contest. Kobie Russell had three hits, while Chris Aubort, Casey Yamauchi, Ryan Cho and Bradyn Yoshida had two each. The Sharks pounded out 11 hits, and got terrific relief work from Nico Gomez. Gomez tossed 4.1 innings out of the bullpen, giving up only one run while fanning four to get the win.

The nightcap looked to be going Hawaii Pacific's way as well. The Sharks scored twice in the first against UHH starter Brandyn Lee-Lehano, then added three more in the third to take a 5-4 lead. Meanwhiile the Vulcans kept pace with a run in the first and three in the second, all with only one hit. With Shark help, all four runs that crossed the plate were unearned against HPU pitcher Gavin Pringle.

Pringle then got in a groove, holding the Vulcans off the scoreboard from the third inning through the fifth. With the tally still a one-run game at 5-4, the Sharks tried to break the game open in the top of the sixth. They added two more runs via a lead-off single from DJ Stephens, a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly and a Vulcan error to make it 7-4 heading into the bottom half of the inning.

Pringle exited after the fifth, in line to get the win without giving up an earned run and allowing only two hits. But this time, it was the Shark bullpen that would unravel. The Vulcan bats came alive with four consevutive base hits, followed by another hit and a walk. With two runs in (7-6) and the bases loaded, Cho stepped to the plate. He blasted a three-run triple to the left field fence, chasing home all three base runners to put the Vulcans on top for the first time in the game, 9-7.

As long as the inning was, time constraints were becoming a factor. The Sharks needed to catch a flight, but for the Vulcans the inning needed to be completed to count. With John Bicos at bat, Cho took off from third base to be intentionally tagged out at home plate (caught stealing), ending the inning (and the game) but also making the sixth inning official. If the contest would have ended in the middle of the inning, all five of the UH Hilo runs wouldn't have counted. 

The Vulcans had six hits in the inning, after only having two base knocks through the first five. Teppei Fukuda had three of those hits, including the first two. Cho drove in three runs with his game-deciding triple, after going 2-for-5 in the first game as the designated hitter. John Kea faced two batters in relief to get the win. 

UH Hilo and HPU will resume Hawaii Pod play next weekend, with Saturday and Sunday games again at George and Marion Hall Stadium. Start time for the doubleheaders will be noon.

REPLAYS (if you already paid for the games)
Game One
Game Two