HONOLULU – On a night a special night on which the Hawai'i baseball team celebrated head coach Les Murakami's induction into the College Baseball Hall Of Fame, the 'Bows honored the legendary skipper with a 4-2 win over Wichita State Friday night.
 
A sold-out Les Murakami Stadium first saw the man who built the program from nothing into a national powerhouse take his place among college baseball's all-time greats, then witnessed this year's 'Bows use another strong pitching effort to move to 5-1 on the year.
 
With the likes of pitching greats Derek Tatsuno and Gerald Ako in attendance to honor Murakami, junior pitcher Hekili Robello spun his own gem striking out nine over six innings while allowing just two runs – one earned – on four hits. The Hilo native earned his second straight win to start his Hawai'i career and now owns a 1.50 ERA in his two starts.
 
Robello then turned it over to the bullpen, and Tsubasa Tomii, Saul Soto and John Alkire II each worked a scoreless inning to seal the win.
 
The 'Bows jumped in front from the get-go, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. After a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs, Kody Watanabe was hit by a 1-2 pitch to score the first run of the inning.
 
Evan Rolbiecki grounded out to make it 2-0 and Kamana Nahaku delivered a two-out, two-run single three batters later to stretch the lead to 4-0 after one.
 
The Shockers responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second to cut the UH lead in half, but Robello limited the damage there by stranding a pair of runners before rolling the rest of the way.
 
Over 50 of Murakami's former players, assistant coaches and other staff members were in attendance to celebrate his induction into the College Baseball Hall Of Fame. Tatsuno, a 2007 Hall Of Fame inductee, and legendary Wichita State coach and long-time rival and friend of Murakami Gene Stephenson, welcomed the coach into the Hall Of Fame at the end of the pregame program.


 
A full video of the pregame ceremony honoring Murakami can be found HERE.
 
The two teams continue their series on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. Brody Martin-Grudzielanek will get the ball for the 'Bows while Johnny Nuanez will throw for the Shockers.