FRESNO — Jordan Kron picked up where he left off from his stellar junior season of 2016 as the senior hurler threw a gem Saturday afternoon. Kron and the Stanislaus State Warriors defeated Fresno Pacific, 4-1, in the season opener for both teams.

In the nightcap, Fresno Pacific rallied for two runs in the sixth to break a tie en route to a 6-3 score and the doubleheader split.

Kron yielded seven hits but gave up just an unearned run in eight innings of work in his 2017 season debut. He fanned eight batters and got out of trouble in the third and fourth innings. He left the bases full of Sunbirds in the fourth by striking out two consecutive batters to keep FPU off the scoreboard.

Nick Voumard pitched a harmless ninth inning to earn his first save.

The game was scoreless until the seventh inning when Aldo Koutsoyanopulos scored on a Gino Franceschetti sac fly to left-center. Later in the inning, pinch runner John Holleran scored on a Ethan Utler safety squeeze bunt to third to make it 2-0. Holleran would drive in a run in the eighth and Franceschetti doubled to left to plate Holleran for the 4-0 lead.

Baron Bower scored FPU's only run in the bottom of the eighth on a passed ball.

In the late game, teams traded runs in the second and third innings for a 3-3 score. Then, in the sixth, the Sunbirds pushed across two runs for the lead and tagged on one more in the eighth.

Nick Ippolito went 2-for-4 with a double to cap a great day one. He also had two hits in the first game in the leadoff spot. Robbie DeVries got the start on the bump in game two and suffered the loss. He went four innings and gave up three runs on seven hits.

Teams will play games three and four of the series on Sunday in Turlock at the Warrior Baseball Field. First pitch is at 10 a.m. Game two, a seven-inning affair, is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.