COSTA MESA -- The Socal Sparrows defeated the Solana Beach Redbirds 5-3 in the SBL season opener Friday afternoon at Vanguard University.

Grant Askins (Loyola Marymount) had a huge game for the Sparrows, blasting a home run and a double. He finished with three RBI and scored once.

Cody Aherens (Hope International) knocked in one RBI and scored once.

Bryant Durflinger (Hope International) impressed on the bump, tossing three innings of one-hit ball while earning the win.

Andrew Crane (CSUMB) and Spencer Bramwell (Colorado Mesa) led the way for the Redbirds. Both notched two base hits and belted in one RBI.

The Sparrows offense clicked early with a three-run first inning. They tacked on one more in the second to grab a 4-0 lead.

The Redbirds answered with two in the fifth and one in the sixth to close the margin to 4-3, but the Sparrows added one insurance run in the eighth to hold on for their first victory of the season.

Solana Beach hosts the California Jays in a non-league double header starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Socal travels to Arcadia next to face the Astros Saturday at 6 p.m. in a non-league encounter.