IRVINE, Calif. – The Hawai'i baseball team dropped the series finale at UC Irvine Sunday, falling 6-1 as the Rainbow Warrior bats were silenced by a strong pitching effort to give the Anteaters the series win.
 
UCI starter Nick Pinto dominated over 7.2 innings, striking out 11 while giving up just a run on three hits and walking none. Pinto was perfect through 5.2 innings before Nainoa Cardinez singled with two outs in the sixth, as UH went three up, three down six times throughout the game.
 
The Anteaters broke a scoreless tie in the third inning with five runs. A pair of doubles to start the inning put up the first run of the frame and chased UH starter Alex Giroux before another double off reliever Harrison Bodendorf made it 2-0. UCI added three more in the frame on a sacrifice fly and back-to-back two-out singles, making it 5-0.
 
Both teams went scoreless until the eighth inning, when the Rainbow Warriors (22-18, 11-10 Big West) got on the board. Stone Miyao delivered a one-out base hit up the middle to score Kyson Donahue, making it 5-1. The Anteaters would answer back with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the frame, stretching their lead back to 6-1.
 
Jacob Igawa extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a double in the ninth inning, finishing the day 1-for-4. Connor Harrison delivered a strong effort on the mound, throwing the final five innings of the game and giving up just a run on two hits with one strikeout and no walks.
 
The Rainbow Warriors return home to take on UC Davis in a series scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium.