Freed from a playing restriction, third baseman Xaige Lancaster unleashed a go-ahead, two-run double to boost the Hawaii baseball team to a 4-2 victory over Wichita State at Les Murakami Stadium.
A crowd of 3,393 saw the Rainbow Warriors break through with two runs in the sixth for a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.
This was billed as “Legends Weekend,” with several former UH stars making guest appearances. The aces of the late 1970s — Derek Tatsuno and Gerald Ako — were honored in the second inning. And fittingly for the format, the ’Bows produced another classic of timely hitting and stubborn relief pitching.
Down 2-1 in the sixth, Jared Quandt drew a two-out walk from WSU’s Grant Adler. Left-hander Hunter Holmes replaced Adler to face left-swinging Draven Nushida. Nushida chopped a single into hole on the right side, sending Quandt to second. After Jack Mount replaced Holmes, Nushida stole second without a throw.
That brought up Lancaster, who grounded out in his first two at-bats. After transferring from New Mexico State last year, Lancaster, a Hilo High graduate, suffered a torn labrum in his right (throwing) arm last March and redshirted. UH coach Rich Hill has tried to limit Lancaster from making long throws. But Lancaster started at third on Saturday, and against Mount, drove a pitch to left-center to bring home the tying and go-ahead runs.
“The pitcher was good, he had good velo,” Lancaster said. “He was beating me with some fastballs. I had to foul him off. I had to work the count there. He ended up hanging a curveball, middle-middle, I seen it pop out of the hand. I put a good swing on it. Thankfully, it found some grass and I got two ribbies. If I keep putting good swings on balls, good things will happen.
As for his schedule, Lancaster said, “just trying to limit playing time now and increase playing time later down the road. Looking future tense. I want to keep myself healthy, and be able to play the game as long as I can. We’ve got a good plan. Today showed.”
The ’Bows added an insurance run in the seventh on Ben Zeigler-Namoa’s run-scoring single to left for a 4-2 lead.
The ’Bows improved to 6-1. Four of their victories were decided by two runs or fewer.
Four UH relievers combined to pitch four scoreless innings. Zacary Tenn, who struggled in his last outing, entered with the loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. Tenn, who induced an inning-ending groundout.
Cory Ronan, who replaced Tenn at the start of the sixth inning, stranded a runner at third.
In the eighth, the Shockers placed runners at second and third with one out. Isaiah Magdaleno struck out Dillon and Jordan Black to end the inning. Magdaleno allowed one hit in the final two innings.
“He’a elite,” pitching coach Keith Zuniga said of Magdaleno. “He’s got mentality. He’s tough. He commands three pitches (fastball, curve, change-up) for strikes. He’s not afraid to throw his fastball in there and challenge hitters. In the last inning, he went in there with a two-run lead, and he was awesome.”
The Shockers broke a scoreless game with two runs in the fourth against UH right-hander Cooper Walls.
Walls, a freshman, hit Jordan Rogers and then surrendered an opposite-field double to Josh Livingston. Kam Durnin’s ground single to the right side brought home Rogers with the game’s first run. Livingston scored when Ryan Callahan grounded into a double play.
The ’Bows closed to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Elijah Ickes singled up the middle and continued to second when center fielder Camden Johnson struggled to field the ball. After Quandt drew a walk, Nushida followed with an RBI single to center.
The four-game series concludes today. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
