Defying the odds and UC Irvine, the Hawaii baseball team rolled to a 10-2 rout in the Big West opener at Les Murakami Stadium.

The teams entered as polar opposites. The Rainbow Warriors were 10-14 in pre-league play. The 19th-ranked Anteaters had won 16 of their first 20 games, including nine in a row, and started All-America pitcher Andre Pallante.

But on a freaky Friday night before 1,649 fans, a small-town pitcher with a big arm and an opportunistic offense helped the ’Bows claim the first game of the three-game series. The ’Bows parlayed seven hits and eight walks into 10 RBIs.

“That’s what we feel we can play like when everything comes together,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “I’m happy for our guys. That’s a very good team we beat, a great pitcher we beat. Now we have flush it, and play that same way (today). We can’t make it a one-time thing.”

UH freshman right-hander Aaron Davenport of Duvall, Wash., continued his impressive post-rehab streak, allowing four hits and a run in 51⁄3 innings, to outduel Pallante.

Earlier in the month, Davenport suffered a strained rotator cuff in his right (pitching) shoulder. Since completing intensive physical therapy, Davenport has made three appearances, allowing one earned run in 151⁄3 innings. On Friday, he mystified the Anteaters with a menu of curveballs, changeups and 90-mph fastballs. He also plunked Mike Filia — and then picked him off with a quick-pirouette throw.

“I felt comfortable,” Davenport said. “That was a solid-hitting team. I went out and competed, and tried to locate my pitches well. It went well. … There some tough situations. But it comes down to not pitching around guys, and going after and challenging hitters.”

In turn, it was an off night for Pallante, who had none in the past three weeks. He entered having not allowed a run in 252⁄3 consecutive innings. He had these eye-rubbing, pre-game numbers: 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings, 0.93 WHIP.

Pallante retired the first four UH batters, expending 16 pitches. But with one out in the second, UH designated hitter Brennen Hancock hit a shot that ricocheted off Pollante’s right leg for an infield single. Pallante remained in the game, but his effectiveness strayed.

Maaki Yamazaki drew a six-pitch walk. Hancock and Yamazaki then advanced a base when Pallante fielded Dallas Duarte’s grounder but threw wildly to second. That brought up Tyler Murray, who was hitless in eight previous at bats with runners in scoring position. This time, Murray smacked a drive over right fielder Mike Peabody for a two-run double.

The ’Bows added two more runs in the third to extend their lead to 4-0. Ethan Lopez’s single to right scored Daylen Calicdan, and Duarte’s sacrifice fly brought home Alex Baeza.

The Anteaters manufactured their first run in the fourth when Brandon Lewis hit a leadoff double, scooted to third on Adrian Damia’s flyout to left and scored on Davenport’s wild pitch.

The ’Bows responded with a six-run sixth. Pallante exited after issuing a leadoff walk to Dallas Duarte. The next two UH players walked to fill the bases. Scotty Scott then drew the ’Bows’ fourth consecutive walk to score Duarte. Daylen Calicdan’s sacrifice fly brought home Murray for a 6-1 lead. Alex Baeza then walked to reload the bases. Lopez followed with a three-run drive to the gap in left-center for his first triple of the season.

Colin Ashworth, sporting a new short-haired look, allowed an unearned run in 22⁄3 innings in relief of Davenport.