The Hawaii Pacific baseball team’s resurgent season under coach Dane Fujinaka came to an end in the PacWest championships on Thursday.

In the first game of the knockout bracket, HPU was unable to hold a late lead against favored Point Loma in a 6-4 defeat at Azusa Pacific’s Cougar Baseball Complex in Azusa, Calif.

HPU ended its campaign at 30-22. It was the program’s first 30-win season since 2016 and first participation in the PacWest championships, which began in 2023.

Despite that, the Sharks are not in contention for an at-large berth in the West Region for the 54-team NCAA Division II tournament.

The Sharks jumped out to a 4-1 lead thanks to Skyler Agnew’s three-run homer in the third, scoring Nicholas Jio and Kota Suzuki. Cooper Donlin added an RBI single in the fourth.

The lead was still 4-3 going to the bottom of the seventh when right fielder Esai Santos hit a game-tying double as part of a 4-for-5 day at the plate for top-seeded PLNU (37-10-1). Santos also had a solo homer in the first.

PLNU led off the seventh with a single and walk. Will Pope’s deep fly to center caused Noah Hata to stumble on a rise and the ball went to the base of the wall, allowing Jack Malone to come around for the go-ahead run.

Sea Lions starter Austyn Coleman went seven innings for a no-decision, while James Sashin secured his 16^th save of the season.

Suzuki went 3-for-5 and Daniel Johnson had a multi-hit game for HPU.

Jack O’Brien, who began his HPU career with a perfect game in 2022, got the start and tossed 2 2/3 innings with one run allowed. Mac Leisher (7-5) took the loss after giving up the three late runs (two earned).

Point Loma advanced to face the loser of Azusa Pacific and Concordia Irvine in another knockout game later Thursday.

HPU was shut out in its first game of the tournament against CUI on Wednesday.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.