HONOLULU – The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (13-9) fell victim to a no-hitter by Cody Wheeler, falling to Coastal Carolina (19-4) 4-0 in front of a crowd of 2,725 at Les Murakami Stadium Thursday. Jayson Kramer (1-3) took the loss, allowing just one earned run in 7.0 innings. Wheeler (5-0) finished with 10 strikeouts and three walks.

 

The no-hitter was the first against the Rainbows since March 14, 1998, when Jeff Nichols of Rice threw the no-hitter at Cameron Field. The only other no-hitter against Hawai`i that came at home was on Feb. 19, 1982, when UH-Hilo's Derek Diaz and Horace Gray combined for a no-hitter in a 3-1 win by the 'Bows.

 

As good as Wheeler was, Kramer kept the Rainbows in the game, keeping Coastal off the scoreboard for the first five innings. In the sixth, an infield single and an error started an inning where the Chanticleers finally put the first runs on the scoreboard, taking a 2-0 edge.

 

Hawai`i had its biggest threat in the bottom of the sixth, putting runners on first and second. But Wheeler was able to strike out the final batter of the inning, keeping UH off the board. The Chants then put up two more runs in the eighth to extend the lead to 4-0.

 

That was the way it would end as Wheeler retired the final 10 batters he faced, with centerfielder Rico Noel ranging into right-center to catch the final out of the game, giving the Chants their first no-hitter since 2005.

 

The Rainbows will continue the series vs. Coastal Carolina tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. The series finale will be at 12:05 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.