GLENDALE, Ariz. – Hope International baseball took three of four games at Arizona Christian, earning 8-2 and 4-3 victories on Saturday at the ACU Baseball Field.

Hunter Essang was the hitting star in game one, finishing 3-for-5 with three RBI. The Royals rapped out 12 hits and scored six runs over the final five innings to win handily. 

Eddie Cotto had the game-winning hit in game two as HIU overcame a late game deficit. Cotto drove in a pair of runs for HIU's 30th win of the season.

Game 1 – Hope International 8, Arizona Christian 2
Essang had an RBI groundout to score David Shackelford in the first inning for the 1-0 lead.

The Firestorm tied the game in the third as Zach Blair tripled and scored on a misplayed ball by the HIU left fielder.

In the fourth, Essang singled and Colby Moran boomed a ground rule opposite field double. Cotto brought in Essang on a groundout for the 2-1 HIU lead.

HIU broke the game open with a three-run fifth. Three straight singles loaded the bases, and Shackelford's RBI groundout brought in Spencer Davis. Isaiah Lane walked to reload the bags, and Essang roped a two-run double to left. The hit chased ACU starter Jack Brooker from the game. 

He ended up taking the loss, allowing nine hits and five runs in 4.1 innings.

ACU scored its only other run in the sixth on a Tyson Schertenleib RBI single. 

Luke Wallin earned the win for HIU, tossing 3.1 relief innings with three strikeouts and just one run allowed.

HIU scored an insurance run in the seventh and two more in the ninth to lead 8-2. Two Firestorm errors in the ninth led to two unearned runs, with Moran walking in Shackelford with the bases loaded and Cotto delivering a sacrifice fly to score Lane.

Logan Long, Justin Allen, Lucas Smith and Adan Young kept the Firestorm off the scoreboard over the final three innings.

Game 2 – Hope International 4, Arizona Christian 3
ACU struck first with a run in the second as Ty Gillespie's single plated Andrew Ivy.

Firestorm starter Frank Wierman retired nine of the first 10 HIU batters, picking up six of his nine strikeouts during the first three frames.

But the Royals touched him for two runs in the fourth as Lane led off with a single and Essang walked. Lane stole third base and later scored on Cotto's sac bunt. Matias Nolasco followed with a run-scoring single to bring in Essang for the 2-1 lead.

ACU tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom half. With Ivy on third, Gillespie had a bunt single that brought in the tying run.

Luke Zuromski's RBI double handed the Firestorm a 3-2 lead in the fifth.

Wierman exited after 6.0 innings, handing the ball off to David Gordon II for the save opportunity.

The Royals did not oblige, as Royce Clayton opened the seventh with a walk and advanced to second on Shackelford's groundout. Lane hit a ground ball to shortstop, but the throw to first was offline and the error allowed Clayton to score all the way from first to tie the game at 3-3.

Lane moved from first to third on Essang's single through the right side, and Cotto's base hit gave the Royals a 4-3 lead.

James Williams tossed 2.0 scoreless innings for the win to improve to 2-1. He threw a perfect inning in the seventh, with nine pitches for nine strikes as he fanned Berkeley Kaiser, Kaden Clute and Blair.

HIU returned to southern California with a 30-12 record and a league-best 19-5 GSAC mark.

The Royals lead OUAZ by three games, and can clinch the outright GSAC title with a win against Park Gilbert on Friday.

HIU's next game is on Tuesday against Westcliff. First pitch at Amerige Park is slated for 6:00 p.m.