Hawaii fought back from deficits and then pulled away to Saturday’s 14-10 baseball victory over Cal State Fullerton at Goodwin Field in Orange County, Calif.
“Our motto is: don’t flinch, punch back,” UH coach Rich Hill said.
After falling 7-6 on Friday night, the ’Bows rebounded to even the three-game series and end the Titans’ six-game winning streak. The ’Bows improved to 13-9 overall and 3-2 in the Big West. In dropping to 13-9 and 6-2, the Titans missed a chance to move into a first-place tie with UC San Diego.
Before a crowd of 1,097, the ’Bows amassed 19 hits and drew nine walks in a game that lasted 3 hours, 57 minutes.
Center fielder Matt Wong reached base six times, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and two walks. Pinch hitter Bronson Rivera delivered a clutch RBI single in a three-run fifth. In his third start of the season, second baseman Aaron Ujimori produced two hits and wide-ranging defense, and reserve outfielder Naighel Ali‘i Calderon went 2-for-2 and drove in the ’Bows’ 14th run.
“It was a team effort,” Hill said. “Guys like Aaron Ujimori and Naighel Calderon have just been watching the entire season. Great teammates, great dugout guys. And then they get their opportunity and produce.”
Wong scored the go-ahead run without touching the plate and the ’Bows scored the first two of a five-run seventh without swinging the bat.
After trailing 3-0 in the first, 4-2 and 6-5, the ’Bows tied it at 6-all in the sixth on Wong’s run-scoring double. After Kyson Donahue singled to left, it appeared Wong was thrown out at the plate. But home plate umpire Michael Chukerman called catcher Max Ortega for obstruction, and Wong was awarded the go-ahead run despite not touching the plate.
The ’Bows loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Ryan Faulks, who was summoned to relieve Peyton Jones, threw eight pitches — none for strikes — as Ben Zeigler-Namoa and Wong drew back-to-back RBI walks. Donahue’s two-run double and Jacob Igawa’s RBI single padded the UH lead to 12-6.
Starting pitcher Randy Abshier; Dalton Renne, who allowed a single to the only Titan he faced, and freshman left-hander Harrison Bodendorf spaced 14 hits. But they walked only two, struck out nine, and preserved Alex Giroux and Connor Harrison for today’s series finale. Giroux and Harrison were on no-work orders after pitching on Friday.
In a difficult opening frame, Abshier committed an error and allowed the Titans to jump to a 3-0 lead. “The best thing Randy did is he gives up that three spot, we give up an error, it’s not going his way, and he just climbs back on the hill and throws zeros,” Hill said.
Bodendorf pitched the final five innings, allowing four runs, to improve to 2-1. Bodendorf threw 99 pitches, 66 of them for strikes.
After Bodendorf surrendered two runs with one out in the ninth, Hill visited the mound. Hill recalled telling Bodendorf: “Let’s just push the reset button here. Take a breather. My observation is you’re stronger than when you started.”
Hill said Bodendorf responded: “yeah, I feel great.”
Bodendorf struck out designated hitter Brenda Bobo on 10 pitches. After yielding a single to Ortega, Bodendorf induced shortstop Jack Haley to hit a fly ball to right for the game’s 54th out.
“He was cool as a cucumber out there,” Hill said of Bodendorf. “He was pretty chill.”
