SURPRISE, Ariz. – Hope International baseball bounced back on Saturday with a pair of big offensive performances in 8-4 and 11-2 victories over OUAZ to even the GSAC series.

After dropping both Friday games to the Spirit, the Royals turned to Isaiah Lane and David Shackelford to provide the power in game one, while game two featured scoring in six of the seven innings. HIU left the Grand Canyon state with a record of 21-11 overall and 12-4 in the GSAC, good for second place in the league standings.

Lane was 4-for-8 with two runs scored and four RBI in the doubleheader.

Game 1 – Hope International 11, OUAZ 2
The Royals wasted no time jumping on OUAZ from the outset. Lane slammed a two-run home run just three pitches into the game, scoring Shackelford, who led off the game reaching on an error by the first baseman.

It was Lane's second home run of the season.

HIU got its leadoff man aboard in the second as the first baseman committed another error. With two runners on, Shackelford unloaded on OUAZ starter Diego Quinonez for a three-run bomb and a 5-0 HIU lead. Shackelford collected his third roundtripper of the year.

Tyler Tilton allowed just two hits through five scoreless innings for the Royals. He worked around four walks, retiring the side in the first and fifth innings. He encountered trouble in the sixth as Rolen Driscoll, Evan Mendoza and Joel Esparza registered three straight singles against the right-hander.

Luke Wallin entered in relief, and a pair of sacrifice flies narrowed the HIU lead. On the second sac fly, the Spirit scored a second run following a throwing error by the HIU right fielder. 

HIU's lead was trimmed to 5-4 in the seventh as OUAZ scored a run on a passed ball.

But the Royals posted three runs in the ninth. Shackelford contributed an RBI single, and Lane's base knock scored pinch runner Ivan Barragan and Royce Clayton.

Logan Long pitched the final two innings for HIU, allowing just one hit.

Tilton got the win to improve to 3-1, while Quinonez took the loss and fell to 3-3.

Game 2 – Hope International 11, OUAZ 2
After a scoreless first inning, the Royals offense produced at least one run in each of the next six frames.

HIU took a 1-0 lead in the second as David Allen stole home.

Hunter Essang doubled home Shackelford to start the third. Colby Moran notched an RBI single to plate Essang, and HIU's second extra base hit of the inning – an Eddie Cotto two-bagger – brought in Moran as HIU opened up a 4-0 lead.

Allen's triple down the right field line scored pinch runner Nathan Estrada to make it 5-0 in the fourth.

The Royals kept the pressure on in the fifth, loading the bases on an error, a single and a walk. Moran scored the sixth run on a wild pitch and Allen walked to reload the bags.

Both Estrada and Cotto scored on a Spencer Davis sac fly as HIU opened up an 8-0 cushion.

HIU starter Jake Thrift retired the first seven Spirit hitters, striking out the side in the second. He struck out a career-high eight in 4.2 innings.

In the fifth, Thrift walked the first two hitters and fanned the next two. He allowed a pair of singles to Camden Knutson and Driscoll as the Spirit trimmed the deficit to 8-2. Adan Young replaced Thrift and promptly struck out Mendoza to quash the threat.

HIU added two runs in the sixth as Lane's leadoff triple and Essang's hit by pitch put two runners on. After Essang stole second, Cotto laced a 2-RBI single to center.

The Royals added one more run in the seventh to complete the scoring.

Thrift improved to 4-1 on the season. Young and Nic Cortez combined for 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. OUAZ starter Brayden Marcum got the loss after allowing six hits and four runs in 2.2 innings of work.

The Royals return home to continue GSAC action, hosting Embry-Riddle on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.