SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Behind a dominant performance from right-hander Hekili Robello, the Hawai'i baseball team secured a 3-1 series-clinching win over UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
 
The victory gave the Rainbow Warriors (12-9, 3-5 Big West) their first series win over the Gauchos in Santa Barbara since 2014, and will create an opportunity to go for the sweep Sunday.
 
Robello was the story of the afternoon, turning in a masterpiece on the mound that lasted into the ninth inning. The Hilo native, recently named to the National Pitcher of the Year watch list, lived up to the billing by surrendering just one run on three hits over 8.1 innings of work.
 
He baffled Gaucho hitters throughout the day, racking up eight strikeouts while issuing only a single walk on 114 pitches. Robello's command was on full display as he retired the side in order in five different innings, including a stretch of 12 in a row set down from the fifth through the ninth inning before he exited.
 
The Hawai'i offense provided all the support Robello would need in the second inning. After Draven Nushida led off with a single and Jake Redding followed with a double, Garrett Greco lined a two-run single to right-center to vault the 'Bows to a 2-0 lead.
 
The Rainbow Warriors added a critical insurance run in the seventh when Tate Shimao broke for home in a first and third situation on a pickoff attempt to first. Shimao was initially ruled out but after a Hawai'i challenge, was deemed to be safe making it 3-0.
 
UC Santa Barbara finally broke through in the bottom of the ninth with a two-out RBI single. However, John Alkire II induced a game-ending groundout to second base to earn his second straight save and fourth of the season.
 
It marks the second consecutive day that Hawai'i has gotten an incredible effort from its starting pitcher. Robello followed Isaiah Magdaleno's eight innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts on Friday, meaning UH's starting pitchers have allowed just two runs on six hits on the weekend. This is the first time since 2021 (Cade Halemanu, Logan Pouelsen) that UH's starting pitchers have worked at least eight innings in back-to-back games. It's also the first time since May 2021 that a team has held the Gauchos to one or fewer runs in back-to-back games at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will look to complete the series sweep Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 10:05 a.m. HT (ESPN+).