Box Score | Box Score (pdf)

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors baseball team (13-14, 2-0 Big West) used an early lead to claim the series victory over UC Irvine (15-9, 0-2 Big West) on Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium, withstanding the late UCI run for the 8-5 victory.

For the second straight night against UCI, the 'Bows opened up with a 3-0 lead after the first inning.  Third baseman Johnny Weeks put the wheels in motion, drawing a one-out full count walk. Moved over on a Jacob Sheldon-Collins single down the right field line, he scored from third on an Eric Ramirez RBI fielder's choice play.

After Sheldon-Collins reached third on an error, he trotted home on a balk by UCI starter Shaun Vetrovec. Left fielder Marcus Doi extended the lead to three runs an RBI single into left center.

The Anteaters took one back in the top of the second, courtesy of Mitchell Holland reaching on an error and coming across unearned on a Grant Palmer RBI single to right center.

The 'Bows grew their lead in the second inning, as back-to-back singles from Kekai Rios and Alex Fitchett turned into runs as Weeks lined a two-run single over the second baseman for the 5-1 advantage.

After six steady innings, starter Kyle Von Ruden was tested by the Anteaters, who fired off three consecutive singles to set up the first UCI score since the second, opened by an RBI groundout for pinch hitter Cameron Bishop. Johnathan Munoz would later score on a wild pitch and pinch hitter Wyatt Castro brought in a third run on another RBI groundout, trimming the UH advantage to a single run.

The Rainbow Warriors countered in the bottom half as Chayce Ka'aua fired a two-run double deep down the left field line to scratch Doi and Ramirez across, followed by an RBI to shallow center field by Rios, pulling the lead back to four runs.

The Anteaters added another run in the top of the eighth, but reliever Cody Culp closed it down the rest of the way, securing the 8-5 victory to take a 2-0 advantage in the series in which UH had previously lost nine straight.

Von Ruden (4-1) reclaimed the team lead in victories with the win, pitching 7.0 innings with six hits and three earned runs (four total), striking out four with no walks.

Vetrovec (2-3) took the loss, going 4.0 innings, giving seven hits and five runs, striking out two with one walk.
At the plate, Weeks was steady, hitting 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while Ka'aua added two RBI on 1-for-4 hitting. Rios racked up, hitting 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

Winning the series, the Rainbow Warriors return to action on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium, chasing their first sweep of the season.