HONOLULU – Liam O'Brien worked eight shutout innings of two-hit ball to lead the Hawai'i baseball team to a 6-0 win over Ball State Sunday, clinching the series win in the four-game set.
 
O'Brien struck out seven and did not surrender a walk while allowing just two Cardinals to reach base on singles in the first and seventh innings. The right-hander set down 18 batters in a row at one point on the way to his career-long eight innings of work.
 
The outing by O'Brien also capped off an incredible weekend of starting pitching for the Rainbow Warriors. O'Brien, Thursday starter Isaiah Magdaleno and Friday starter Hekili Robello combined to give up no earned runs over 23.1 innings pitched with 27 strikeouts and just four walks.
 
Overall on the weekend, UH pitching allowed just one earned run over 36.0 innings with 46 strikeouts and only seven walks. Hawai'i lowered its team ERA to 2.54 in the process and has held opponents to three or fewer runs in eight of the 12 games.
 
Elijah Ickes put the Rainbow Warriors on the board from the jump, cranking a two-out solo shot down the left field line in the first inning to make it 1-0. UH added two more runs in the second, loading the bases with no outs before Tate Shimao drove in a run with a base hit and another came in on a double play, stretching the lead to 3-0.
 
UH added three insurance runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. Kody Watanabe and Shimao each came through with RBI singles, and Kamana Nahaku laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to make it 6-0.
 
Ickes led the way offensively for the 'Bows going 3-for-4 with his third career homer while Shimao, Watanabe and catcher Kamaehu Sanchez all turned in two-hit days. UH's 10 hits matched a season-high while the team went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will open Big West play with a three-game series vs. Cal Poly starting Friday at 6:35 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium.