IRVINE, Calif. - The Concordia University Irvine baseball team scored 18 times on Friday and saw eight different players collect multiple hits in a game.

Concordia improved to 13-10-1 overall and 7-3 in the PacWest Conference after splitting the first two games of their series with Hawai'i Pacific.

Michael Dixon and Alex Moreno each contributed two hits in both contests out of the No. 3 and No. 9 spots in the order, respectively. 

Pitcher Matthew Williams factored into the decision for both games as well, which is a rarity in baseball doubleheaders considering he started one of them. 

Game 1: CUI 13, HPU 7

Nathan Benefeito went 4-for-4 at the plate with 4 RBI and was one of six Eagles to pound out at least two hits in the series opener. His bases-clearing 3-run double opened things up for the home squad as the Green and Gold promptly built a 4-0 lead.

Doubles by Moreno, Tristan Hanoian and Dixon in a span of four at-bats pushed CUI's lead to 10-1 by the end of the third inning.

To the Sharks credit, they circled the bases a few times in the middle innings to swim their way back into contention.  CUI's lead was trimmed to just 10-7 by the sixth inning.

After Riley Sullivan worked into the fourth inning, Matthew Williams took the ball and went the rest of the way to lock down his second victory of the season. Williams tossed 5.1 innings and allowed only three earned runs during that time with a very efficient pitch count of just 52 pitches.

Offensively, Jackson Collins also supplied a pair of RBI singles and knocked in a third run on a sacrifice fly.  This all in addition to scooping a number of throws from his infielders throughout the day.  Collins, Benefeito and Jack Colville all knocked in one run in the bottom half of the sixth to give CUI some extra breathing room and complete the scoring in the opener.

Game 2: HPU 10, CUI 5

The second game started really well for the visiting Sharks. Williams looked to continue his dominance but the Sharks adapted and chased him from the ball game in the top of the first.

A rare catcher's interference call prolonged the inning when HPU led 1-0 and seven unearned runs were scored before CUI could come to bat.

The Eagles chipped away at the deficit throughout the afternoon.  Michael Dixon slugged a two-run homer over the right field wall to the delight of the home fans and the CUI dugout.

The two teams will play another doubleheader on Saturday, March 19 with game one set to start at 2 p.m. PT.

CLICK HERE for the full CUI baseball schedule