HONOLULU – A Thursday-night pitching duel between the University of Hawai'i (1-3) and San Francisco (4-1) spilled over into extra innings, but an 11th-inning push by the Dons gave USF the series-opening win, 3-1.
 
The Rainbow Warriors and Dons went nine scoreless innings behind the pitching efforts of UH's Brendan Hornung and Matt Richardson against USF's Grant
Goodman, Benji Post and Scott Parker. Hornung held the mound for 8.0 innings on Thursday night, striking out six with only one walk, before yielding to Richardson.
 
Although regulation ended in zeroes, the Rainbow Warriors placed five runners on base in the first nine innings, while the Dons logged seven.
 
Setting sights on the quick win in extra innings, USF shortstop Nico Giarratano singled through the right side, followed by a perfectly-placed double on the left foul line by third baseman Allen Smoot sent the game's first runner across the plate.
 
Seeing the opportunity, the Dons made their third pitching change, sending Joey Carney to the bump in the bottom of the 10th. Carney was initially precisely effective, striking out the first two 'Bows he faced, but UH second baseman Johnny Weeks coaxed out a walk to get the Rainbow Warriors going. Rising in the clutch, third baseman Josh Rojas fired a double down the right line into the corner, giving Weeks the shot to knot the game at 1-1 and forcing an 11th frame.
 
Hawai'i pushed to the edge of the comeback win before being halted, as center fielder Dylan Vchulek followed up with a single to right field, but a stumble while rounding third kept Rojas from heading home on the play. The inning closed on a strikeout with runners at the corners.
 
Second baseman Michael Perri led off the 11th for USF with a single to right field, while Ross Puskarich reached on an error. Both runners would come home against relievers Casey Ryan and Matt Estes, granting the Dons a 3-1 advantage. Although Eric Ramirez gave UH a leadoff runner in the home half, the Rainbow Warriors were held without a response in the final stanza of the loss.
 
Richardson (0-1) came away with the loss, throwing 2.1 innings with two earned runs and three hits allowed. Throwing 2.0 innings, Carney (1-0) earned the win with three hits and one run allowed.
 
At the plate, the 'Bows were paced Weeks, who hit 2-for-3 with one walk and one run, in addition to numerous highlight-worth plays at second base. Rojas was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
 
The second game of the four-game series with San Francisco is slated for 6:35 p.m. on Friday at Les Murakami Stadium.