HONOLULU - Stretched across Friday and Saturday, the University of Hawai'i baseball team (12-7) battled out the series opener with Seton Hall (8-9-1) all the way to the 11th inning before the Pirates gained the final advantage, coming away with a 9-8 victory on a game 24 hours in the making, setting up a long day at Les Murakami Stadium after the game was postponed for rain on the first night.

The Pirates showed readiness right out of the gate in the first inning, using three consecutive hits to open the series and stun starter Jackson Rees. Seton Hall netted two runs in the first frame off a double play ball and a Sebastiano Santorelli RBI double down the left field line.
 
Facing a 2-0 deficit early, the Rainbow Warriors took no time to mull over their response against Seton Hall starter Shane McCarthy, opening the home half with three consecutive singles. Hawai'i kicked off its scoring with an Adam Fogel RBI single through the left side to plate Maaki Yamazaki. Kekai Rios and Eric Ramirez each followed with RBI base knocks and Ramirez' double scratched Fogel across home to give UH the upper hand. The Warriors capped off the frame with a two-run Dustin Demeter single for a 5-2 advantage.
 
After three scoreless frames, the teams traded scores in the fifth, but the Pirates got rolling again in the sixth against reliever Kyle Hatton. Seton Hall led off with a Casey Dana home run to set off a five-run frame.
 
Battling back again, this time from an 8-6 deficit, UH used a Demeter RBI double to trim the deficit and began making their move again in the bottom of the seventh. However, heavy island-wide rains set in with the tie run on first, as the Seton Hall skipper pleaded successfully for a delay, postponing the game to Saturday afternoon.

Though they couldn't capitalize on a runner aboard at the restart, the Rainbow Warriors responded in the eighth, tying the game at 8-8 as catcher Tyler Murray batted home Rios, who reached as a leadoff hit batter. 

With closers Matt Leon and Dylan Thomas going pitch-for-pitch, the game extended beyond regulation, but it was the pirates who produced down the line, as Molina led off the 11th with a double and came around to score on a double play ball for the 9-8 advantage. Leon held off the 'Bows in the final half for the Seton Hall win.

The Rainbow Warriors tied for a 12-hit season high, led by Fogel, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run, while Yamazaki was 2-for-3 with a run and Dustin Demeter was 2-for-5 with three RBI. 

The Rainbow Warriors and Pirates jumped right into game two action, with first pitch on the day's second game scheduled for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the resumed opener.