RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Hawai'i baseball team opened up an early lead but couldn't hang on in the series finale at UC Riverside Sunday, falling 7-6 on a walk-off to drop the series.
 
The 'Bows led 5-1 after four innings, but for the second straight day the Highlanders battled back, scoring five unanswered runs to take a 6-5 lead after six. UH tied things up with a run in the eighth, but UCR walked it off with a bases-loaded walk in the ninth to hand Hawai'i the series loss.  
 
Ben Zeigler-Namoa put the 'Bows on the board in the second inning, finding the left center gap for a two-run triple to score Aaron Ujimori and Stone Miyao to make it 2-0 Hawai'i. The 'Bows added one more in the third when Miyao delivered a two-out RBI single to left, scoring Matt Wong to stretch the lead to 3-0.
 
After the Highlanders got on the board with a run in the third, UH answered in the fourth with the help of some free passes issued by UCR pitching, scoring twice to open up a 5-1 lead. After a pair of walks to start the frame, Wong drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly before Miyao picked up his second RBI of the day with a two-out bases loaded walk to score the second run of the inning.
 
From there it was all UC Riverside. The Highlanders cut the Hawai'i lead to 5-3 with a two-out, two-run single in the fifth before scoring three runs on four hits in the sixth to take a 6-5 lead. The Rainbow Warriors tied it up at six on a throwing error in the eighth, but UCR's Mason Grace drew a bass loaded walk in the ninth to walk it off.
 
Dallas Duarte made some program history, becoming the UH all-time career leader in hit by pitches with 38 after getting plunked to lead off the game. Wong finished off a big week at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI to end the week 9-for-20 (.450) with three homers and six RBIs between the three games at UCR and the Tuesday game at Cal Baptist.
 
The 'Bows continue their road trip with a nonconference game at Pepperdine on Wednesday at 12 p.m. HT.