The Hawaii baseball team broke out the new helmets, then broke away to Thursday night’s 5-3 victory over UC Davis at Les Murakami Stadium.
A crowd of 1,189 saw the ’Bows overcome a 3-0 deficit to claim the opener of a three-game series and improve to 23-18 overall and 12-10 in the Big West. The Aggies fell to 17-28 and 7-15.
UH shortstop Kyson Donahue hit his seventh home run, second baseman Stone Miyao scored the tying run on a sprint from second, and catcher DallasJ Duarte delivered the go-ahead double.
The ’Bows made the 5-3 lead stick thanks to freshman left-hander Harrison Bodendorf, who pitched the final three scoreless innings for his second save.
In the ninth, UCD left fielder Damian Stone drew a two-out walk. Bodendorf fell behind 2-1 on the count, prompting Duarte to jog to the mound to offer advice.
“I told him, ‘Just let it rip right here. You’ve got nothing to lose right here. Just let it eat. Trust your stuff,’” Duarte recalled. “That kid just does a hell of a job every time.”
Bodendorf said: ”I did not want to get taken of out of that game. It was my game to finish. … (Duarte) said, ‘You’re trying to be too fine. Hit my glove where I put it. … It’s kind of what I did.”
Bodendorf struck out James Williams III to end the game.
The ’Bows closed to 3-1 on Matt Wong’s RBI single in the fifth inning, then stormed ahead with a four-run sixth.
Donahue opened the UH sixth with a thunderous home run to dead center.
One out later, Miyao — who moved up two spots to No. 6 in a pregame lineup switch — grounded a single into the hole between short and third. Zach Storbakken’s walk chased left-hander Bryan Green.
Alejandro Huezo, who made seven starts before switching to reliever, induced Ben Zeigler-Namoa to fly out to left for the second out, and then pinch hitter Bronson Rivera to ground to shortstop Joey Wright. Wright bobbled the ball, recovered but threw wide to first baseman Theo Forshey, who was pulled off the bag. Miyao did not pause his sprint and raced home for the tying run.
“It was two strikes, two outs, I was just going off the swing,” Miyao said. “I just kept going 100% going home for that reason.”
Duarte then smacked a double to left-center to drive home Storbakken and pinch runner Tai Walton to give the ’Bows a 5-3 lead.
“See ball, hit ball,” Duarte said. “I mean, I had two strikes. I hate striking out. It’s the last thing I want to do. Like (hitting) Coach Dave (Nakama) says I was just trying to touch it ugly.”
The Aggies added a run in the fifth to extend their lead to 3-0. Forshey drew a leadoff walk, then advanced to second on Wright’s sacrifice.
Stone then pulled a shot to right. UH right fielder Jared Quandt’s throw to Duarte at the plate was a nanosecond too late to get Forshey. UH coach Rich Hill requested a review and, after a few minutes of watching television replays, the umpires confirmed Forshey was safe.
The Aggies needed only four at-bats to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Williams was struck by a Harry Gustin pitch with one out. An out later, catcher Jack Gallagher hit a towering drive that landed beyond the fence in right field for his 12th home run of the season.
