HONOLULU – The San José State Spartans (9-13) kept things close on Saturday night at Les Murakami Stadium, but the University of Hawai'i (13-8) Rainbow Warriors made the right moves to come out on top with a 5-4 series-clinching victory.
 
The Rainbow Warriors were able to gain the upper hand early, using two consecutive walks to set up an Adam Fogel RBI comebacker single in the first, setting a 1-0 lead that would stand for three innings.
 
Stifled throughout the early innings, the Spartans knotted the game in the fourth and pulled ahead briefly in the sixth, with Aaron Pleschner scoring from third on a wild pitch.
 
The celebration was short-lived for San José State, as Kekai Rios also scored on a wild pitch in the home half, after reaching base as a hit batter, drawing the 2-2 tie.
 
Pushing Spartans starter Matt Brown beyond the century-pitch mark, the Rainbow Warriors exploded in the bottom of the seventh. After reaching via walk, Jacob Sniffin came home for the one-run lead on an RBI double by Dylan Vchulek – who reached base for the 22nd consecutive game.
 
Facing a carousel of Spartan pitchers in the seventh, Rios and Fogel added an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, respectively, pushing UH ahead 5-2.
 
Starter Dominic DeMiero held the mound through 108 pitches and eight innings before handing off to Casey Ryan. The Spartans came out swinging in the ninth, gunning for the clutch rally, and chipping off two runs in the final frame. However, redshirt freshman right-hander Dylan Thomas stepped in to deliver the final out and his second save, preserving the 5-4 win with a groundout to third.
 
Held to the fewest hits in five games, the Rainbow Warriors were paced by Fogel, who hit 1-for-3 with two RBI, alongside Rios, who hit 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.
 
Earning the victory, DeMiero (4-1) went 8.0 innings, scattering five hits and one earned run, striking out six.
 
With the victory, the Rainbow Warriors clinch the series with a 3-0 advantage. UH and San José State return to action in Sunday's finale with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch at Les Murakami Stadium.