IRVINE, Calif. – Sporadic hitting and an inability to score with runners in scoring position hurt the Hawaii baseball team in two losses on Saturday to UC Irvine.
 
Game 1:
Hawaii had a 4-0 lead early in the first inning thanks to a three-run home run from sophomore Jacob Igawa was not enough for the Hawai'i baseball team in Saturday's 12-5 loss to UC Irvine in the first game of the doubleheader.

The Rainbow Warriors started the game with a walk to center fielder Adam Fogel, a single from shortstop Kole Kaler and then a double steal and a throwing error by the catcher plated Hawaii's first run. A walk to first baseman Alex Baeza put two on for Igawa who blasted a 2-1 pitch to left-center field to make it a 4-0 lead.
 
Irvine (12-7, 6-0 Big West) scored a run in the first and second inning to cut the lead in half but did their damage in the fourth and eighth innings, scoring five runs on four hits in the fourth and four runs on three hits and two errors in the eighth.
 
Hawai'i (11-5, 3-3 Big West) scored a run in the ninth inning on a single from Igawa and a sun triple from pinch hitter Konnor Palmeira, but were unable to do any more damage or apply any stress to UCI.
 
Sophomore Cade Halemanu, after going 8.1 strong innings against Long Beach State a week ago, lasted just 3.1 innings on Saturday, he gave up four earned runs on seven hits and struck out two.

Game 2: 
In the second game of the doubleheader, Hawai'i (11-6, 3-4 Big West) quickly found themselves in a 3-0 hole in the third inning. Freshman starting pitcher Austin Teixeira held on and kept it close until the 'Bows were able to score a run in the sixth and tie the game with two runs in the seventh.
 
UCI (13-7, 7-0 Big West) scored the go-ahead and winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
 
In the top of the ninth, back-to-back singles led off the inning and a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position, but Hawaii was unable to capitalize and fell with both runners stranded in scoring position.
 
Four Rainbow Warriors finished the game with two hits, including Kaler who has two hits in all three games of the series. Kaler also picked up two of the team's three RBI's in the game.
 
Freshmen Safea Villaruz-Mauai and Stone Miyao had two hits with Villaruz-Mauai plating the teams other run via a single. Scott also finished the game with two hits.
 
Hawai'i will look to salvage a game on Sunday with senior Logan Pouelsen starting for the 'Bows. First pitch from Irvine is slated for 10 a.m. HT.