HONOLULU – No outs, bases loaded, one run already in, enter junior Buddie Pindel. Three batters later, the University of Hawai'i baseball team is celebrating a Houdini act. Thanks to Pindel's effort, the Rainbow Warriors (3-2) offense went on to pile runs on late in 14-3 win over Hawaii Pacific.
 
With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning and one run in giving Hawaii Pacific (0-2) the 3-2 lead at the time, the Sharks looked primed to do damage. Pindel had a different idea. Coming in relief of freshman Tai Atkins, the junior quickly got second baseman Hayden Huff to fly out to shallow center field.
 
Third baseman Darius Price then came to the plate looking to execute a squeeze. The Sharks bunted twice earlier in the half inning, reaching both times on errors on the Rainbow Warriors. This time Pindel dove for the bunt and flipped it to catcher Tyler Murray to get the force out at the plate. Sharks' head coach, Dallas Correa, came out to argue, but to no avail. The break in the action did not stop Pindel from striking out shortstop Nicholas Jio to end the threat.
 
Pindel finished the last four innings, giving him a five inning scoreless outing. He struck out three and gave up two hits and a walk.
 
That was the momentum shift the Rainbow Warriors needed. Junior Kole Kaler led off the bottom half of the fifth with his first career homer as a Rainbow Warrior. Kaler's homer down the right field line knotted the score back up to 3-3.
 
The next inning, sophomore Scotty Scott led off the inning with a triple over the right fielder's head to get promptly driven home by center fielder Adam Fogel. Scott finished the night, 1-2 with an RBI and three runs scored as he reached base four times, one HBP and two walks.
 
The Rainbow Warriors broke the game wide open in the seventh when they sent 13 to the plate. Courtesy of three walks, two hit by pitches, and four hits, including two extra base hits to clear the bases, the Bows scored nine runs. Fogel had a bases clearing double, finishing the night 2-4 with four RBIs and a walk. Sophomore Tyler Best added a bases clearing triple and redshirt senior Tyler Murray added in a RBI double. Murray made his 2021 debut today after being unavailable for the opening series.
 
Sophomore starting pitcher Cade Halemanu went 2 2/3 innings giving up two runs and striking out three.
 
After making his debut Thursday night, freshman Jared Quandt collected his first career hit when he beat out a grounder to third.
 
The teams will play again Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. HST for the third game of the series. Freshman Austin Teixeira will take the ball for the Rainbow Warriors opposite sophomore Cole Mayeshiro for the Sharks.