PHOENIX – The University of Hawai'i baseball team opened the 2021 season with a 3-2 come-from-behind win at #15 Arizona State on Friday. The win is the first for the Rainbow Warriors (1-0) over the Sun Devils (2-2) since 1993 and the first win in Arizona against ASU since 1987.
 
First baseman Alex Baeza scored all three runs for Hawai'i. The first baseman hit his first home run since 2019 in the fifth inning to cut ASU's lead in half, scored the tying run in the seventh inning and the go-ahead run in the ninth. Baeza finished the game with two hits and reached base all four plate appearances.
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Aaron Davenport started the first three innings shakily, giving up lead-off hits in the first three innings. Back-to-back doubles in the first inning tagged the Rainbow Warriors starter with his first run, a single and small ball manufactured the Sun Devils second run in the second inning.
 
Davenport did strikeout seven Sun Devils in his 7.0 inning outing and settled in after the first three innings, allowing just three baserunners the final four innings of work. The righty set the side down in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh.
 
Freshman pitcher Austin Teixeira (1-0) came in for two scoreless innings of work, both involving stressful situations after allowing runners to get into scoring position. The freshman picked up his first career win in his first career appearance for the Rainbow Warriors by stranding a pair in the eighth and ninth. ASU's Graham Osman got tagged for the loss.
 
Hawai'i scored it's first run of the game in the fifth inning on a solo home run from Baeza. The first baseman scored the second run of the game in the seventh inning after working a walk and then moving around the diamond on a bunt single from catcher Dallas Duarte and a fielder's choice by second baseman Aaron Ujimori. A wild pitch plated Baeza to tie the game.
 
In the ninth inning, Baeza led off by reaching on a ground ball to first in which the first baseman decided to flip to the pitcher instead of take the out himself. The pitcher missed first base and Baeza beat the pitcher to the bag on his second attempt.
 
A sacrifice bunt by Duarte moved Baeza into scoring position and right fielder Tyler Best singled to move Baeza to third. Ujimori picked up his first career RBI on a sacrifice fly which plated Baeza to put UH up 3-2.
 
The two teams face off Saturday at 11:05 a.m. HT in the first of a doubleheader. Sophomore Cade Halemanu will make his first career start for Hawaii against ASU's Tyler Thornton.