Box Score (html)

HONOLULU - The University of Hawai'i baseball team took down Western Athletic Conference-leading New Mexico State on Thursday night at Les Murakami Stadium. With the series-opening win, the Rainbows improved to 26-18 overall and 6-4 in WAC play while the Aggies dropped to 30-15 and 7-3 in conference.

Matt Sisto was equal to the task against the nation's top run-producing team. He improved to 8-3 overall and 3-0 in four conference starts. Sisto foiled the Aggie order for much of the game, working seven complete innings while allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts.

Collin Bennett batted 2-3 with two runs and two RBI to lead UH. It was his two-RBI single past a diving Parker Hipp at second base that proved to be the key hit of the night. Zack Swasey also delivered at the plate for the 'Bows with a team-high three hits.

Tanner Rust led NMSU with a pair of hits which included an RBI-triple in the seventh inning. Ryan Beck (4-4) was tagged with the loss for the Aggies in 7.1 innings of work. He allowed five runs on 10 hits with eight strikeouts.

The Rainbows scored the game's first run in unconventional fashion. A pair of strikeout-wild pitches by Beck allowed Bennett to move to third and later score. In consecutive at-bats, Swasey and Max Duval (1 H, 1 RBI) reached first base on strike three wild pitches.

In the fifth inning, Trevor Podratz was hit by a Beck pitch with the bases loaded to score Garrett Champion (1 H, 1 R) from third. Bennett then drove home his two runs to give the 'Bows a 4-0 lead after five innings.

2,758 tickets were issued for tonight's contest with 1,475 fans coming through the turnstiles.

UH and NMSU continue their series with game two on Friday at 6:35 p.m.





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