Lakeside, CA- Arizona Christian earned a split on Thursday but ultimately lost the series against San Diego Christian and in the process will need some big help to reach the GSAC playoffs.  Thursday saw the Firestorm drop a 19-1 result before answering back with a 6-2 win.  Junior Dillon Eaves threw a complete game.

Game one went from bad to worse in a hurry.  The Hawks (15-20, 10-17 GSAC) scored two in the bottom of the first.  Junior Kyle Robbins singled (Senior Landon Teramoto ran) and the Firestorm scored the run on a sacrifice fly by Senior Jacob Rodriguez in the top of the second.

But ACU would not be that close again after SDCC scored three runs in the second and five in the third.  They added a combined nine more runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

In the series cap, Arizona Christian scored four in the top of the first on the benefit of just one hit.  Junior Dom Rodriguez walked and Junior Gary Sheffield doubled down the left field line to cash in D. Rodriguez.  Senior Hector Ortiz and Junior Jonathan Nunnally, Jr. both walked, moved up on a passed ball and scored on a pair of sacrifice flies.

The Hawks homered in the bottom of the first yet in the third the Firestorm answered with a two run homer off the bat of J. Rodriguez- his fifth of the season.

Eaves (6-3) went the distance- his third complete game of the year- giving up just one earned run while striking out seven.

With the split, ACU now sits two games out of the fifth and final GSAC playoff.  The Firestorm have just three games left in GSAC play (weekend series with Hope International) and face a near must sweep factor.  The Master's- who ACU is trying to catch- still have two GSAC series remaining and must lose at least five of those six games.  There is slight potential for Arizona Christian for the final rainout makeup game with William Jessup to also be played.

As for the series with Hope International, the game a week from Friday is set for a 3:00 pm start at Firestorm Field.