Hendricks’ Home Run Leads USIU, 16-4

Steve Hendricks’ three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday snapped a 4-4 tie and led United States International University to a 16-4 victory over Point Loma Nazarene College in a nonconference college baseball game at USIU.

The win was the Gulls’ first of the season after five losses. Point Loma is 2-2.

USIU’s Carl Grovum pitched five innings of hitless relief to even his record at 1-1. First baseman Bob Esquera had two doubles, a single and three RBIs to help the Gulls erase an early 4-0 deficit. USIU scored two runs in the fourth, six in the fifth and five in the seventh to make a loser of Point Loma starter Doug Swink (1-1).