It was billed as “Country Weekend.”
But the Hawaii baseball team rocked and rolled to a 10-5 victory over Long Beach State in Friday’s opener of a three-game series at Les Murakami Stadium.
Before 3,238 — all 4,465 tickets were issued for UH’s fifth sellout of the season — the Rainbow Warriors won their eighth in a row at home to improve to 22-6 overall and 9-4 in the Big West. The Dirtbags fell to 10-17 and 4-9.
The ’Bows amassed 17 hits, including five singles in a row to start a four-run eighth inning.
Jared Quandt, Draven Nushida and Kedren Kinzie each had three hits for the ’Bows. Kamana Nahaku, who hit five home runs in three games last weekend, went 2-for-3 and scored two runs. Every player in the UH starting lineup had a hit or scored a run.
“There are a couple big hits in there,” UH coach Rich Hill said. “Nahaku just continues to impress. I think every hit he got tonight was with two strikes. Draven Nushida had a big hit late in the game against that left-handed pitcher (Jakob Russell). Jared Quandt led off that (second) inning with a double, and we execute. Offensively, just a great night.
Nushida, who scored a run and drove in two more, said: “We’re just sticking to our approaches, and putting good swings on balls. That’s the main thing for us. And swinging at pitches that we can handle. The whole lineup can do damage. I feel like when we get on a roll, everyone can get the next man up. That’s the main thing we go by, getting the next man up.”
Matthew Miura, who entered hitting .600 in the previous seven games, went 2-for-4, drew two walks, scored a run and produced an RBI single to break a 4-all tie in the fourth. The ’Bows would not look back.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to pass the baton in front of my teammates,” Miura said. “I’ve got a lot of guys ripping the ball behind me. If I can just get the baton to them. As Coach Dave (Nakama) always talks about, it’s getting five guys to the plate. That’s something we take to heart.”
It was the sixth consecutive game the ’Bows scored at least nine runs. They are averaging 10 runs their past eight games.
The ’Bows received a boost from their bullpen. In relief of Itsuki Takemoto, who allowed four runs in 32⁄3 innings, Sebastian Gonzalez and then Isaiah Magdaleno allowed only one run combined — a ninth-inning sacrifice fly — the rest of the way. Gonzalez earned the victory. In earning the eight-out save, his fifth of the year, Magdaleno has made 10 multiple-inning appearances.
“I don’t even pay attention to that,” Magdaleno said of throwing 37 pitches, 21 of them for strikes. “My arm feels good, my body feels good. I’m glad to get out there.”
Magdaleno said he put his trust in pitching coach Keith Zuniga and “letting my defense work and the ball do its thing. I just like competing. That’s all I can do.”
Hill said Magdaleno is “very resilient, very strong. He didn’t look as sharp tonight, but that’s to be expected. We’ll give him a day off at some point. Who knows when that will be? He’s a big, strong kid and wants the ball.”
After LBSU shortstop Armando Briseno rocketed a two-out, three-run double to the left-center gap to tie it at 4 in the fourth inning, the left-handed Gonzalez was summoned to replace Takemoto. Gonzalez struck out the left-swinging Matt Toomey to quell further damage.
Down 6-4 in the seventh, Briseno drew a lead-off walk and went to second on Toomey’s groundout to second. Magdaleno entered in relief of Gonzalez. After walking Connor Charpiot, Magdaleno induced Jake Evans to hit into an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the fourth, catcher Hunter Faildo reached on Briseno’s error. One out later, Faildo went to second on Jordan Donahue’s groundout to third. Miura followed with the go-ahead single to center.
“We don’t hit a lot of home runs, especially here,” Miura said of his two-out hit. “If we have to score runs getting two-out clutch hits and just trying to get guys over and score ‘em, then that’s what we’ve got to do.”
