The University of Hawaii's baseball team faced a challenging weekend, with the Rainbow Warriors unable to score against No. 13 UC Irvine, resulting in a series sweep. According to Spectrum Local News, Hawaii's team performance faltered, with UCI's pitcher Ryder Brooks delivering a two-hit shutout in a 5-0 win at Anteater Ballpark last Saturday. This defeat mirrored the complete game effort produced by UCI's Trevor Hansen last Friday.
Hawaii's baseball team now sits at a record of 25-13 overall and 10-11 in the Big West Conference, dropping five of the last six games during their road stretch. The Rainbow Warriors, who once held third place, are now in sixth place, currently outside the Big West tournament cut line, Spectrum Local News added. Their recent strong performance included midweek nonconference victories over Santa Clara and USC, as well as a significant extra-inning win at Cal Poly.
Ryder Brooks, boasting a 5-2 record, delivered a dominant performance on the mound, recording ten strikeouts in his outing against the Warriors. "He opened the game by hitting Shunsuke Sakaino with a pitch, but got a double play off the bat of Matthew Miura to get out of the inning," Spectrum Local News reports. Kedren Kinzie and Itsuki Takemoto marked the only hits for UH, breaking Brooks' no-hitter in the fifth and seventh inning respectively.
Meanwhile, Hawaii Athletics highlights the challenges for UH as they were stifled offensively for the second straight day. The Rainbow Warriors' Cooper Walls and Isaiah Magdaleno held their ground on the mound despite the sweep, Magdaleno notching a career-high seven strikeouts. But it was UCI's Chase Call, who "ripped a two-out, three-run homer," and Blake Penso, with a solo homer that largely flanked UCI's advantage on the scoreboard.
The Rainbow Warriors are set to begin an eight-game homestand, starting with a game against Chaminade. Hawaii Athletics reports that the series will begin on tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium, giving UH the chance to return home following a series of road games.
