FULLERTON, Calif. – Behind an early offensive onslaught and a strong combined effort on the mound, the Hawai'i baseball team locked up a key road series win with a 10-2 victory at Cal State Fullerton Sunday.
The Rainbow Warriors moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the Big West standings at 14-13 in league play, matching UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The 'Bows host UCSD this Thursday, Friday and Sunday with a spot in the Big West postseason tournament on the line. The top five teams in the final regular season standings make the field.
The 'Bows (31-18, 14-13 Big West) got to work early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead behind four consecutive singles to start the game. After
Matthew Miura singled to lead off the game and came around to score on an error,
Ben Zeigler-Namoa added another with an RBI knock.
After the Titans got a run in the third, UH struck back with a four-run fourth to open up a lead.
Kamana Nahaku got the scoring started with a pinch-hit solo homer to left field to make it 3-1 before a single and walk put the Hawai'i offense in business again. Miura then came up and roped a two-run triple to the gap in right center to make it 6-1, and Zeigler-Namoa came through with another run-scoring single to stretch the lead to 7-1.
Fullerton (27-24, 17-10 Big West) got a run back in the seventh, but Hawai'i again answered to wide its lead. Miura delivered once again with a two-out RBI single in the eighth to make it 8-2, and in the ninth
Itsuki Takemoto blooped a two-out, two-run single to stretch the lead to 10-2.
Four Hawai'i pitchers combined to limit the Titans to two runs while punching out 13 batters and scattering nine hits. After
Cooper Walls exited in the third following a line drive off his leg,
Liam O'Brien shut out Fullerton over the net 3.1 innings with six strikeouts to earn the win.
Freddy Rodriguez got the first two outs of the seventh before turning it over to
Isaiah Magdaleno, who held the Titans scoreless over the final 2.1 innings while fanning four.
Miura and Nahaku led the way offensively, with both finishing 3-for-4. Miura drove in three runs while scoring two and Nahaku came off the bench to turn in his fourth three-hit game of the year, adding a double and a homer.
The Rainbow Warriors return home to host UC San Diego for Senior Weekend. Thursday and Friday's first pitches are set for 6:35 p.m. while Sunday's Senior Day game will begin at 1:05 p.m.
