HONOLULU – For the second straight day, the Hawai'i baseball team completed a comeback in walk-off fashion, beating Marshall 7-6 in the nightcap of a doubleheader to take both games of the twin bill Saturday.
The Rainbow Warriors took game one of the day, 6-2, before walking off for the second night in a row to extend their nation-leading home-winning streak to 14 games. UH has also won eight games in a row dating back to last year, also the longest active win streak nationally.
Game 1: Hawai'i 6, Marshall 2 (7 inn.)
A big fourth inning and a strong combined effort on the mound propelled Hawai'i to a 6-2 win in game one of the doubleheader.
Tied at one heading to the bottom of the fourth, the Rainbow Warriors broke things open with a five-run frame.
Shunsuke Sakaino squeezed home
Xaige Lancaster on a bunt base hit to give UH the lead before
Matthew Miura delivered a two-out, two-run double to make it 4-1.
Ben Zeigler-Namoa followed two batters later with a two-RBI single to right field to stretch the lead to 6-1.
After Marshall got a run back in the fifth on a solo homer, the 'Bows called on
Liam O'Brien out of the bullpen for the final two innings. The Gonzaga transfer retired all six batters he faced over the final two frames, striking out two to secure the win.
Itsuki Takemoto got the start and win, going five innings with three strikeouts while allowing two earned runs on four hits. Miura led the way offensively for UH, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Lancaster finished 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and run scored.
Game 2: Hawai'i 7, Marshall 6
Shunsuke Sakaino delivered an RBI single to left field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to complete the doubleheader sweep with a 7-6 win and set off a Hawai'i celebration for the second straight night.
Trailing 6-3 entering the seventh, the Rainbow Warriors again erased a late innings deficit by scoring two runs in the seventh, and one each in the eighth and ninth. Opening Night hero
Draven Nushida came through again, this time with an RBI single to make it 6-4. The 'Bows added one more in the frame on an RBI groundout to pull within one.
Jared Quandt tied things up at eight with a base knock up the middle to knot it up at six, and UH had a chance to take the lead in the frame, loading the bases with two outs, but failed to score.
Ben Zeigler-Namoa again started the ninth-inning rally, beating out an infield hit before two more infield base hits loaded the bases with no outs for Sakaino. The lefty roped the first pitch he saw the other way to score Zeigler-Namoa and cap off yet another late-game comeback.
The two teams traded runs over the first three frames and were tired at two heading to the fourth when the Thundering Herd struck for three runs to open up a lead. Marshall got runs on a pair of RBI singles and a run-scoring ground ball to take a 6-3 lead.
The 'Bows and Thundering Herd wrap up the series with the finale Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium.
