LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of Hawai'i baseball team invoked the mercy rule beating UNLV 13-3 in eight innings at Las Vegas Ballpark Saturday afternoon.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (21-20, 13-8) helped head coach Rich Hill earn his 1,100th overall career win while blasting four home runs against the Rebels (32-17, 17-7).
 
The 'Bows got out to a fast start in the top of the first inning when junior first baseman Jacob Igawa pimped one over the right-center field wall taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
 
Las Vegas battled back with two runs in the second inning. A double over the head of the left fielder scored the first run, and a single would drive in the second to tie the game up.
 
The Rainbow Warriors exploded back in the third as freshman shortstop Jordan Donahue picked up the first hit and was joined on base by graduate center fielder Cole Cabrera. After a wild pitch moved the runners over, junior catcher Dallas Duarte drove his tenth double, picking up both RBIs. Sophomore second baseman Stone Miyao smoked a home run over the right-field wall to put the 'Bows up 6-2.
 
UNLV got one back after a fly ball got lost in the sky and hit the ground for a triple to open the inning. The runner was batted across on a single, closing the gap to three.
 
A bases-loaded wild pitch scored the first run in a long and explosive inning for Hawai'i. Freshman-designated hitter Bronson Rivera continued his hot streak on the next pitch with a two-run double down the right-field line. Sophomore third baseman Kyson Donahue found the barrel, crushed a two-run home run two at-bats later, and extended the UH lead 11-3.
 
The 'Bows had more magic left in the tank as Kyson Donahue led off the top of the eighth with another home run. Jordan Donahue followed up with his third hit of the contest and came around to score on a wild pitch to extend the lead 13-3.
 
Junior reliever Tai Atkins got the last six outs in the form of strikeouts as the 'Bows abbreviated the game to eight innings with a mercy.
 
Blaze Koali'i Pontes had another stellar outing with six innings of work. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out nine.
 
The bats led the way with another 13-hit performance, marked by four home runs for the first time since 2018. Five Rainbow Warriors had a multi-RBI game, with Kyson Donahue's three leading the way. Cousin Jordan paced the 'Bows with three hits accounting for two runs.
 
The Rainbow Warriors return tomorrow for a rubber match at 9:05 am HT.