Fresno Pacific Athletics

    They didn't bring home a national baseball title, but the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds will long remember their team's first trip to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
    "It was unforgettable," said senior Anthony Lowell, who had 10 hits in 13 at-bats in the prestigious tournament. 
    "It's been an honor," said senior pitcher Daniel Brodie. "I'm honored to be here for this program."
    The Sunbirds reached the final eight at the World Series before losing 5-4 to Lee on Monday.
    Fresno Pacific lost its Friday opener 5-0 to host school Lewis-Clark State, then defeated Embry-Riddle 8-6 on Saturday when Dwight Nixon blasted a two-out, two-run, walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth.
    The Sunbirds led 4-3 after seven innnings on Monday, but were victimized in the eighth by a two-run homer from Chris Warters.
    "You feel like it's never going to end, now it's over," Brodie said after the loss to Lee. He said he was talking about the season as well as his four-year Sunbirds career.
    "Every team here was good for a reason," said Nixon, who also homered against Lee. "We showed we deserved to be here. I wouldn't trade anybody on this team for anyone else in this tournament."
    Coach Oscar Hirschkorn praised his Sunbirds, who won 39 games and qualified for the World Series in just the fourth season.
    "This was such a special group of kids," Hirschkorn said. "Their toughness, their commitment to the program, to get us to the World Series in our fourth year. They'll have this for the rest of their lives."
    This was the 10th consecutive year for Lewiston to host the NAIA World Series, and the town of 30,000 on the Snake River rolls out the red carpet for its participating teams.
    Nearly 9,000 fans went through the turnstiles on opening night last Friday, including more than 5,000 to watch the host Warriors face the Sunbirds.
    "I've never played in anything like this before," said Fresno Pacific catcher Jared Coleman. "They treated us like royalty. I don't think I'll ever sign more autographs than I did this week."