LA JOLLA, Calif.— Junior starting pitcher Blaze Koali'i Pontes remains undefeated on the year at 5-0 as the University of Hawai'i baseball team knocked off UC San Diego 7-4 Friday evening at Triton Ballpark.
 
The victory for the Rainbow Warriors (25-21, 16-9) secured and guaranteed the first-ever winning season against the Big West Conference, tying a program-high of 16 wins. The Tritons (23-28, 12-13) have dropped three in a row, with their last two losses coming against UC Davis the previous weekend.
 
It didn't take long for the UH lineup to announce itself as graduate center fielder Cole Cabrera launched a rocket down the left-field line and over the wall for a two-run homer. The long ball marked the fourth of the season for Cabrera, tying his career-high for homers in a season as he smashed four in 2021 as a member of the Cal Poly program.
 
The 'Bows built on to their lead in the second inning with two more runs, the first coming from the bat of freshman shortstop Jordan Donahue. As runners sat at first and third, Donahue singled up the middle, driving in sophomore catcher Nainoa Cardinez and sending senior left fielder Scotty Scott to third. Cabrera answered the call again with a single to center, sending in Scott to make it 4-0.
 
UCSD followed up with a three-spot in the bottom half of the third inning to bring the game within a run at 4-3. In the top of the fourth, UH put two runners on after back-to-back errors, eventually causing Scott to score for the second time of the day, this time off a wild pitch later in the inning, adding to the UH lead at 5-3.
 
The lead grew by another run in the fifth with Scott singling to center on a hit and run with junior third baseman Aaron Ujimori scoring from second to make it 6-3.
 
UCSD came up with a run in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run by the third baseman Jalen Smith to left field, bringing the game within two at 6-4, but the scorecard flipped to the seventh, and UH answered. Cardinez sent a soaring line drive over the left-field wall for his second deep fly of the year, putting the 'Bows back by three at 7-4.
 
UH continued to threaten in the latter third of the game but didn't add a run or allow a run for the eventual 7-4 final.
 
While the UH offense did have a productive night of 15 hits, the 'Bows did leave 13 runners on base throughout the evening. Jordan Donahue and Cardinez led the lineup as each tallied three hits on the night. Cardinez notched his second multi-hit game of the season, his other coming against UNLV on May 8th, a day where he also recorded a three-hit performance. Cabrera finished with three runs batted in a 2-for-5 day at the plate.
 
Pontes (5-0) pitched in his 19th game for the 'Bows, going six innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out seven. Junior pitcher Dalton Renne recorded his fifth save of the season as he entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out. He recorded a strikeout and a groundout to the end game.
 
UH and the UCSD will return to action on Saturday with the second game of the series at Triton Ballpark; first pitch is set for 11 a.m. HT (2 p.m. PT).
 
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