Any way you draw it up, the Hawaii baseball team is finding ways to win.
Kaeo Aliviado hit a tie-breaking home run with two outs in the sixth inning and Hawaii extended its winning streak to seven games with a 2-1 victory over Wichita State on Friday night.
Jarrett Arakawa allowed one run over 72⁄3 innings, and Brent Harrison retired the final four batters for his first save, improving UH’s overall record to 8-3.
"I don’t think we could have asked anything more out of Jarrett," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "He’s a tough competitor — doesn’t get rattled — and when he does, he’s able to figure things out quick."
2
Hawaii
1
Wichita St.
Key: Kaeo Aliviado’s two-out home run in the sixth inning proved to be the game-winner.
Next: UH vs. Wichita State, 1:05 p.m. today at Les Murakami Stadium.
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Arakawa (1-0), whose previous two starts ended midway through the sixth inning, gave up a solo homer to Ryan Hege with two outs in the same inning.
He walked the next batter on four pitches, but after a visit from Trapasso, settled down to strike out Tyler Coughenour.
Instead of calling it a day, Arakawa went out and recorded another five outs, leaving to a loud ovation from the 2,247 in attendance after 95 pitches.
"It feels good to stay out there and not be taken out too early," said Arakawa, who allowed eight hits and one walk with six strikeouts. "The defense played great, we scratched across a couple of runs and were able to get a (win)."
Dayne Parker went 3-for-3, including a one-out single in the seventh off Arakawa, who immediately picked off the Shockers shortstop trying to steal second.
Garrett Bayliff, who had two of Wichita State’s 10 hits, led off the eighth with a single before Arakawa got Micah Green to ground into a double play.
"When Jarrett fatigues, he hits the wall and you can see it, but I didn’t notice it today," Trapasso said. "We stuck with him because he’s our guy and we’re still feeling our way through the bullpen."
Harrison recorded the final four outs for the second straight night, retiring the final three batters after a leadoff single by Erik Harbutz.
Wichita State (5-5) doubled up on the Rainbows with 10 hits to Hawaii’s five, but couldn’t score after Aliviado’s solo home run put Hawaii up 2-1 in the sixth.
Aliviado became the third Rainbow to go deep this season — and second to clear the outfield fence — drilling a 2-0 offering from Wichita State starter Mitch Mormann over the wall in right.
"I’d seen him about three times and was just trying to get a good hit and it went out," Aliviado said.
Mormann (1-2) took the loss, allowing both Hawaii runs on four hits in six innings, walking three with one strikeout.
The Rainbows gave away some early scoring chances, stranding Zack Swasey on second after a leadoff double in the second.
Hawaii took a 1-0 lead in the third when Garrett Champion scored on a passed ball, but ran itself out of a bigger inning.
Champion was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Stephen Ventimilia singled to center to put runners on first and second with nobody out.
After a sacrifice by Breland Almadova, Collin Bennett was intentionally walked to load the bases, but he was immediately picked off at first.
A passed ball allowed the Rainbows to score once before Max Duval grounded out to third to end the inning.
"We didn’t execute early … and that’s something we’ve got to do a better job of," Trapasso said. "The pickoff we have posted on our board. We mentioned it Tuesday, we mentioned it Wednesday, first bases-loaded situation they do it and it was my fault because I didn’t mention it right then."
Hawaii can match its eight-game winning streak from last year with a victory in today’s game, which starts at 1:05 p.m.
UH left-hander Scott Squier (1-1, 5.19 ERA), who threw six shutout innings in a win over Wagner last week, will oppose Wichita lefty Albert Minnis (1-0, 0.96).
