The Concordia Baseball Team had to play some catch-up, but came out on top in both games against Hawai'i Pacific on Saturday.  The two wins came at the beginning of the four-game series with the Sharks.
 
Game one: CUI – 4 HPU - 2
 
Neil Lang had a stellar start on the mound in game one for the Eagles.  He allowed no runs on just six hits through his first six innings of work.
 
The Eagles broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Haloa Dudoit drew a leadoff walk to start things off.  The reigning PacWest Freshman of the Week, Jair Donovan, drilled a ball into left field just out of the reach of the diving left fielder.  Dudoit scored as Donovan raced around for an RBI triple.  He then scored on a passed ball.
 
HPU answered back in the top half of the seventh inning.  A leadoff single put a runner on for Tanner Tokunaga who sent a flare into right center field.  An Eagle error allowed a run to score and cut the Concordia lead to 2-1.  Another hit followed by a sacrifice fly tied the game at two.
 
Jason McLellan took over in relief of Lang in the top of the eighth and allowed just one hit.
 
Looking to regain the lead, Donovan singled in the bottom of the eighth to spark a comeback.  He advanced to second on a wild pitch before Bailey Collins singled to move Donovan to third.  Hunter Holland's third hit of the game came at a perfect time as his RBI single knocked in Donovan and gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead.  A Shark error brought Collins in and Concordia led 4-2 after eight innings.
 
Carpenter Pagett came in in the top of the ninth looking to close out the game.  The Eagle closer retired the Sharks in order to earn his fifth save of the season.
 
McLellan earned the win, giving him his first of the season.
 
Holland led the Eagles offensively going 3-4 with the game winning RBI and a stolen base.  Donovan went 2-4, including the triple, and scored two runs while knocking in one.
 
Game two: CUI – 7 HPU – 5
 
The Eagles struck first in game two.  Ryan Land drew a leadoff walk to begin the Concordia half of the first inning.  Dudoit reached on a bunt single and Donovan walked to load the bases with no outs.  Collins came up with a clutch single up the middle to knock in the first two runs of the game and give the Eagles the lead.
 
Game two starter Alex Zalasky ran into some trouble in the top of the second as the Sharks put up three runs on four hits and one error.  Morgan Brannock took over during the top of the third with runners on the corners, giving up one before getting the Eagles out of the inning with a fly ball and a double play.
 
Concordia chipped away in the bottom of the third as Donovan drew another walk and advanced to third on a double from Collins.  Holland grounded out to shortstop, but the productive out allowed Donovan to score and bring Concordia back within one.
 
HPU extended their lead in the top of the fifth as the Sharks added another run on two hits.
 
Cade Temple took over on the mound in the top of the sixth and held the Sharks to just one hit.
 
The Concordia offense kicked into high gear in the bottom of the sixth inning and took advantage of Hawai'i Pacific mistakes.  Dillon Millar reached on an error to lead off the inning.  Michael Nava came on as a pinch hitter and laid down a perfect bunt that danced on the chalk and stayed fair, giving him a bunt single.  Chris Martin sent a double down the left field line, knocking in Millar.  Land was awarded first on a hit by pitch to load the bases.  A ground ball from Dudoit had Nava thrown out at home but an error in the same play landed Duoit on second with Land on third.  Donovan came up next and singled into center to bring in Land and put the Eagles on top 6-5.  A sacrifice fly from Collins brought in Dudoit and gave the Eagles a 7-5 lead.
 
Pagett came on to close out the game and earned his sixth save of the season and second on the day.  Temple earned the win, improving his record to 2-1.
 
Dudoit, Collins, and Martin each recorded two hits in the game.  Collins led the team with three RBIs while Dudoit reached in his 13^th straight game.
 
The Eagles continue the series with HPU on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Eagles Field.