Saturday, April 4, 2008- FPU Field 
#19 Sunbirds pitch way to sweep

Game 1: box score / Game 2: box score

Fresno- Solid outings by pitchers Chris Schwinden and Antone Ontiveros capped off a perfect week for the Sunbirds. Today's sweep against Vanguard University allowed the Sunbirds to go 5-0 for the week.

Schwinden, starter in game one, set the tone with a two-hit complete game shutout. He kept the Lions off balance as he compiled 12 strikeouts on the day. Ontiveros scattered four hits in four and one-third innings to improve his record to 7-3.

The Sunbirds didn't get on the score board until inning four. Designated hitter, Case Rigby reached base as a hits batsman and later advanced to second off of Joey Norwood's sacrifice bunt. A single, off the bat of center fielder Joe Halderman, scored Rigby to break the ice.

Schwinden continued to dominate and carried a no hitter into the sixth inning. Runs in both the fifth and seventh innings pushed the score to 3-0. That's all Schwiden needed to pitch the Sunbirds to victory. The win improves his record to 4-1.

Halderman and Justin Keeney each tallied an RBI to lead the Sunbirds at the plate.

Unlike the slow start in game one, the Sunbirds jumped ahead with one run in the bottom of the first. Vanguard answered back with a run of their own in the second inning. Ontiveros, starting pitcher, along with his bullpen kept the Hawks stranded at one run for the rest of the game.

Two more runs in the third inning gave the Sunbirds a slim 3-1 lead. Halderman set the table once again with a lead off single and later came around to score off of Norwood's single to center. Keeney also came around to score.

First baseman, Roger Schroeder, crushed a home run over the left field fence to start the fourth inning. Schroeder's home run made the game 4-1 in favor of the Sunbirds.

The sweep improves the Sunbirds record to 25-9 overall and 17-7 in the GSAC. They will be back in action this Wednesday, April 9th, when they travel to Azusa Pacific. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm.

Updated Records:
Hawks: 15-21, 6-18
#19 Sunbirds: 25-9, 17-7