HONOLULU — The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow baseball team (1-3) won the series-finale over No. 9 UC Irvine (3-1) 7-4 in front of a crowd of 2,347 at Les Murakami Stadium Sunday. Freshman Matt Sisto allowed just two runs in
HONOLULU — The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow baseball team (1-3) won the series-finale over No. 9 UC Irvine (3-1) 7-4 in front of a crowd of 2,347 at Les Murakami Stadium Sunday. Freshman Matt Sisto allowed just two runs in 7.0 innings to get the win while Nick Hoover took the loss for UCI.
But Saturday night, Chad DeCasas had 19 points, while Eric Wise pitched in 16 points and 10 rebounds as UC Irvine managed to hold off Hawai‘i for a 76-70 victory.
On Sunday, Vinnie Catricala continued a great weekend, going 2-for-2 with three runs, a double and one RBI. Landon Hernandez added a 2-for-4 game with a double, one RBI and a run while Kevin Macdonald went 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run.
UC Irvine got on the scoreboard right away, posting a run in the top of the first. But UH answered as Catricala drove in a run before scoring on a wild pitch, making it 2-1.
The Rainbows extended their lead in the third as Macdonald hit a two-run single down the left field line.
Hernandez later doubled in a run before Shane Hoey drove in Hernandez, closing out UH’s four-run inning to put them ahead 6-1.
The Anteaters added a run in the fourth to pull back within four, but Macdonald was able to sacrifice in an insurance run in the seventh to get it to 7-2.
UCI would score two runs in the ninth before Josh Slaats shut the door, striking out the final batter, to give Hawai‘i the 7-4 victory.
On Saturday night, the Anteaters (10-17) made all 11 free throws in the final two minutes to secure the win. The Rainbow Warriors (13-13) made it a one-possession affair five times in the last 3 1/2 minutes of the game, but were unable to catch the Anteaters.
UC Irvine jumped out to an early lead after they made seven of their first nine 3-pointers. A 15-2 run, with UC Irvine’s points all coming from beyond the arc, gave the Anteaters a comfortable first-half cushion that eventually ballooned to 16 points and finally settled into a 38-24 halftime advantage.
After UC Irvine stretched its lead to 20 points early in the second half, Hawai‘i’s slumbering offense awakened. The Rainbows went on a 20-6 run to narrow the deficit to just six points with 7:22 to play.
Hawai‘i had four players score in double-figures, led by Kareem Nitoto’s 18 points.
The Rainbows now hit the road to play in the Dairy Queen Classic at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn., from Feb. 26-March 1. UH will face host Minnesota at 4 p.m. (12 noon Hawai‘i time) on Feb. 26 to start the tournament.
The Associated Press and online reports contributed to this story.
