HONOLULU — A series victory over a team that entered the week first place in the Big West Conference was of little solace to Hawaii baseball coach Rich Hill.
Hill’s Rainbow Warriors got blasted by UC San Diego, 11-2, at Les Murakami Stadium on Sunday afternoon after they took the first two games in dramatically different fashion on Friday and Saturday – 1-0 and 17-8.
With four Big West series played and six remaining, the Rainbow Warriors are 6-6 in conference play, sixth place as they prepare to host Long Beach State (22-12, 9-6) this weekend.
UH (16-13) has yet to sweep an opponent, nor has it been swept this season.
“I guess it’s fine, but that’s just not what we’re here to do,” Hill said of the series victory. “We’re here to win a Big West championship. And when we’re at home, in this environment, I really feel like we should win every game. I don’t care if we’re winning a series, winning a Friday, each game is its own entity and here at Les Murakami Stadium it’s very tough for opponents. So, that’s our mentality.”
It was comparatively easy for the Tritons (22-12, 11-4) this time as they got to starter Alex Giroux (3-1), tagging he and reliever Dalton Renne for six runs in the first two innings.
The Tritons’ designated hitter Brandon Larson did the bulk of the damage on a 3-for-5 day with a triple and six RBIs. UCSD's leadoff hitter Ryson Ujimori, an Aiea High School graduate and the cousin of UH's Aaron Ujimori, scored three runs.
UH, meanwhile, didn’t record a hit until the sixth, when Jordan Donahue hit a one-out single to break up the no-hit bid of Aren Alvarez and Nic Gregson (4-1). Hill adjusted the lineup to add a left-handed bat in Brock Rudy because lefties came in with a .400 average against UCSD's starter Alvarez. Rudy was 0-for-3 on the day and is still hitless in nine at-bats on the season.
Matt Wong and Jacob Igawa drove in UH’s two runs in the sixth, but the ‘Bows got only a Wong double in the eighth from there.
UCSD, in its third of four years transitioning from Division II to Division I, can’t be the Big West’s automatic berth recipient to the NCAA tournament this year, even if it wins the league. The Tritons are essentially playing for pride.
“They really put it on us from an offensive standpoint,” Hill said. “The team that deserved to win the game won the game.”
Relievers Zach Losey and Tyler Dyball were the bright spots of the day for UH in Hill’s estimation. Losey finished the game with two scoreless innings and Dyball lasted four innings of middle relief with two runs allowed.
"(Dyball) actually was throwing harder around the 45th pitch to 60th pitch than he was at the start, which was great to see. Real highlight of the day for me,” Hill said. “And Zach Losey touching 94 with good stuff was a real highlight as well.”
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.