WAIPAHU, HAWAI'I- The battle of the HPU's didn't start off in the Jackets' favor as the Howard Payne University baseball club fell in their season opener to the Sharks of Div. II Hawai'i Pacific, 7-4, at Hans L'Orange Park..

Scoring early in the first, thanks to a Ty McCain sac fly that scored Cliff Lunceford, the Jackets started off with a load of confidence.

After the Sharks tied it up on a single in the second, Ty McCain and Nolyn Box had back to back doubles to put the Jackets back on top in the third. They then extended their lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a Noah Payne sac fly that plated David Groves.

The wheels fell off in the bottom of the fourth, though, as a couple of hit by pitches, a pair of singles, and a throwing error by the Jackets lead to a five run fourth inning for the Sharks of Hawai'i Pacific.

Two more errors and a balk in the sixth inning allowed for the Sharks to extend their lead to 7-3. The Jackets hit the score board again in the seventh with an RJ Roberts single that scored Noah Payne, but that's where the scoring would end.

Chandler Clark dropped the opener allowing 6 runs, 5 earned, in 3.2 innings with 3 strikeouts. He falls to 0-1 on the season. Ryan Richardson, Ben Schardt and Johnny Cravey made their first appearances on the mound for the Jackets, combining for 1 run in 3.1 innings and 1 strikeout.

Cliff Lunceford, Ty McCain and Nolyn Box all had 2 hits. McCain also had added a run batted in and a run scored.

Howard Payne starts off the 2019 campaign 0-1, but has two chances to bounce back tomorrow evening. The first game of the doubleheader in paradise starts at 2:00 pm island time (6:00 CST) followed by second first pitch at 5:00 pm (9:00 CST). For links to live stats (there will be no live video stream for this game) please visit HPUSports.com.