RIVERSIDE, Calif. – After opening the season as California Baptist University's closer, Andrew Bernstein was called upon to start the 23^rd-ranked Lancers' PacWest series opener with Hawai'i Pacific on Thursday.

Bernstein adjusted well to the new role and picked up the win in CBU's 6-3 victory at Totman Stadium. Bernstein allowed just seven base runners (six hits, one walk), along with two earned runs, over his seven frames, while striking out five on 96 pitches.

"It wasn't too much different, I treated it exactly the same as I would a save opportunity," said Bernstein, a junior transfer from Cal Poly. "I just went out and thought about closing every inning, like I do out of the bullpen. It was pretty familiar and I felt comfortable out there."

Bryce Macy led the offense, going 3-for-4 at the plate, while Luke Navigato and John Glenn batted 2-for-4 in the win, as the Lancers improve to 13-6, 4-1 in the PacWest and HPU drops to 11-8, 1-6.

"It's really pivotal to win the first game of the series, you just have to keep that momentum going into the next game," Macy said. "I'm just seeing the ball well, Coach has been talking about stringing better quality at-bats together, so I am just trying to get the best quality at-bat for the team I can."

Bernstein got the news he would start the series opener from Coach Gary Adcock on Wednesday, and he was ready to go, with a four-pitch repertoire helping him keep the Sharks off balance all game long.

"I had good fastball command and my change up was working," Bernstein said. "I started to figure out my breaking ball as the game went along, so those three or four pitches here and there really helped get me through the game."

With the way Bernstein was going after giving up a first-inning run, CBU all but put the game away with a four-run third inning. Leadoff singles from Alfredo Rodriguez and Navigato got the rally going, and a triple from Tyler Johnson scored them both.

Ryan Williams singled home Johnson and then stole second, while a Macy single moved him to third. HPU recorded the first out of the inning on a sacrifice fly from DJ Porter, which put CBU ahead 4-1.

"It's great to know they have my back, defense and offense," Bernstein said. "If we get behind, our offense turns around and rallies in the next inning. It really helps you feel comfortable out there."

The Sharks pulled within two runs when they scored in the fifth, but the Lancers answered to regain their three-run lead, 5-2, after five innings. Macy got things started with a one-out single and then moved to second on a Porter walk. Andrew Bash came up clutch, with two outs and a 2-2 pitch, and singled up the middle to score Macy.

"Last year, we could rely more on the home run or the double, this year we have to be more situational hitters," Macy said. "We have to scrap a little bit more, sacrifice and just have better quality at-bats."

It was the same story in the eighth, with Hawai'i Pacific scoring a run in the top half and the Lancers responding in the bottom. Seth Kaneen, who pitched the final two innings for his third save of the year, prevented the eighth inning from getting out of control.

The sophomore came on with a runner at second and no outs in the top of the eighth. He got a quick fly and ground out before striking out the third batter on three-straight pitches to end the frame and strand a Shark at third.

In the bottom of the eighth, Navigato drove home Bash (who walked aboard) with a two-out single up the middle.

A leadoff double in the ninth didn't faze Kaneen. He came right back and got a fly ball to center field, and then Rodriguez made a great play up the middle at short to record the second out, allowing Kaneen to strike out the final batter to end the game.