HONOLULU – The Hawai'i baseball team fell behind early and couldn't respond in an 11-2 loss to UC San Diego in the series finale Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium.
Despite the loss, the Rainbow Warriors (16-13, 6-6 Big West) still took the weekend series over the Tritons after winning the first two games of the weekend against the team that came into the week atop The Big West standings.
The Tritons (22-12, 11-4 Big West) jumped in front early on, scoring two runs in the first and four in the second to take a 6-0 lead. Brandon Larson and Crew Robinson each delivered RBI singles to plate the two first-inning runs before Larson delivered again with a two-run single in the second to make it 4-0. After an RBI groundout made it 5-0, Robinson recorded his second RBI of the day with a two-out base hit to cap off a four-run second inning.
UCSD added two more runs in the sixth to go up 8-0, but UH responded by getting their first two runs of the day in the bottom half. After a lineout to start the frame, three straight 'Bows singled to plate the first run, with
Matt Wong delivering an RBI single.
Jacob Igawa followed two batters later with a run-scoring base knock to left center, cutting the deficit to 8-2.
The Tritons answered right back in the seventh, as Larson continued his big day at the plate with a three-run triple to right field to make it an 11-2 game.
Three UC San Diego pitchers combined to keep the Rainbow Warrior bats in check all afternoon. Hawai'i was held without a hit for the first five innings before breaking through in the sixth, as Aren Alvarez started and worked the first two innings before Nic Gregson threw the next five and got the win. Izaak Martinez shut the 'Bows down over the final two frames.
Wong led the way offensively for the 'Bows, finishing 2-for-4 and ended the weekend hitting .417 (5-for-12) with five RBIs and a pair of doubles.
Tyler Dyball gave the Rainbow Warriors a strong effort out of the bullpen, retiring the first nine batters he faced and throwing four innings while giving up a pair of runs on four hits.
Zach Losey held the Tritons scoreless over the final two innings, striking out three and giving up just two hits.
The Rainbow Warriors wrap-up the series with the Tritons on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium.