Hawaii held in check again

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Tribune-Herald

Tribune-Herald

The University of Hawaii baseball team’s hitting woes followed them home.

Jerry Keel held the Warriors to just five hits in a complete game Friday night in Cal State Northridge’s 4-1 victory in Honolulu.

Connor George equaled a career high with three singles, but as Hawaii (8-25, 3-7 Big West) opened a six-game homestand it was plagued by some of the same offensive issues that showed up on the road.

Scott Squier (0-6) started but was removed after the first two batters reached in the fifth.

In their last game, the Warriors busted out for a 7-6 victory April 14 at Cal Poly to snap a seven-game losing streak. But even with that win, Hawaii has managed only 16 runs in its past eight games.

Keel allowed only an unearned run in the third on Piikea Kitamura’s RBI single. Keel (5-1) walked one and struck out five for the Matadors (20-17, 6-4).

Hawaii has been held to one run or less in five of its past eight games.

Trailing 1-0, Cal State Northridge scored twice in the fourth to take the lead. Chester Pak and Alexis Mercado opened with singles and each stole a base and scored on Nicolas Osuna’s single to center.

Mercado was 3 for 5, including an RBI single in the fifth, and Osuna was 2 for 4.

Squier allowed three runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Connor Little finished up and struck out six over five innings, allowing five hits and a run with no walks.

In the third, Hawaii’s Andre Real led of with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and came home on Kitamura’s two-out hit.

The series continues at 6:35 p.m. today (OC-16).