SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.— The University of Hawai'i baseball team dropped the first game of a three-game series to #21 UC Santa Barbara Friday evening, 8-4, at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (8-15, 2-5) have dropped all three series openers against Big West Conference opponents and are 1-4 this season in series openers, with the lone win being against Rutgers. In comparison, the Gauchos (17-6, 6-1) are 3-0 in series openers against conference foes and are 6-1 on Friday games.
 
UH struck first with a surge of power from redshirt sophomore shortstop Kyson Donahue homering in his second consecutive game for a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
 
The lead wouldn't last long as the Gauchos capitalized on a UH error to start the third inning. UCSB, followed by loading the bases as Nick Vogt, in return, cleared them with a double. Kyle Johnson homered to deep right field on a 2-2 count in the following at-bat, giving them a 5-1 lead.
 
The Gauchos added another run in the fourth to make it 6-1, but UH stayed within grand slam range as freshman designated hitter Jordan Donahue contributed to his cousins' efforts with a triple, scoring a run to make it 6-2 in the fifth. UCSB added single runs in the bottom half of the fifth and sixth for an 8-2 advantage.
 
UH scored two more runs in the seventh as graduate centerfielder Cole Cabrera knocked in a run on a fielder's choice, followed by an additional run on a throwing error by the pitcher on a pickoff attempt to third, bringing the score to 8-4 in favor of the home squad. Both teams were kept silent over the following two innings for the eventual final.
 
Junior pitcher Cade Halemanu (0-3) went four and a third innings allowing seven runs, but only one earned, and struck out a season-high eight batters. Halemanu picked up the loss, while his counterpart Corey Lewis (5-0) kept his record perfect on the season, striking out 11 over six innings. The Gauchos tallied 15 strikeouts against the 'Bows and allowed just four hits and five walks.
 
The 'Bows will be back in action on Saturday with the second game of the series, and the first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. HT. Graduate Andy Archer will take the mound for the 'Bows in his seventh start of the season. Archer is coming off his longest outing of the season as he went five and a third against UC Irvine last Saturday, allowing three runs and five hits in a no-decision.