Big Islanders had their fingerprints all over the University of Hawaii baseball team’s first road win of the season.
Dallas Duarte hit a home run and drove in three runs to lead the Rainbow Warriors to an 8-4 victory over Fresno State on Sunday at the Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament on the San Diego State campus.
Duarte went 2 for 5 to help the ‘Bows improve to 3-4.
The Bulldogs (3-4) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, and left-hander Tai Atkins was summoned in relief of Blaze Koali ‘i Pontes.
Atkins, a former BIIF player of the year at Kamehameha, had an immaculate two-thirds of an inning, striking out pinch hitters Blake Wink and Matt Ottino on three pitches each, earning his second career save.
Duarte, another Kamehameha alum, smacked his second career home run, a solo shot in the second. The Big Island theme was prevalent in the third, when Duarte hit a double to score Stone Miyao and Jacob Igawa, each a Waiakea grad. Igawa was 2 for 5 and Miyao went 1 for 2.
Connor Harrison, the second of five Hawaii pitchers, was awarded the win.
Fresno State’s Nikoh Mitchell, who surrendered seven runs in 2 1 /3 innings, took the loss.
UH completes its four-game road trip with a faceoff against San Diego State on Monday. First pitch will be at 4 p.m. Hawaii time.
Softball Vuls swept by ‘Swords
Jaeda Cabunoc and Taylor Genera each threw complete games as Chaminade beat UH-Hilo’s softball team 3-2 and 5-1 on Oahu.
The Vuls (4-2, 2-2 PacWest) outhit the Silverswords (4-2, 2-0) in the first game of the doubleheader 7-4. In the fifth, Mari Kimoto (2 for 4) hit an RBI double and Angel Prewitt followed with a run-scoring single. UHH left two on in the fifth and seventh innings.
Chaminade used a walk, an error a hit batter and two hits to score three times in the first against Sara Bhatt (3-1), who left after walking the first batter of the second inning. She struck out one, and two of the runs charged against her were unearned. Malia Risdall worked around two hits and four walks, striking out two in four scoreless innings.
Tehani Soto pitched the seventh and started the second game with two more scoreless innings before the Silverswords scored five times in the third, chasing Soto after an error, a walk and three hits. Nia Trinidad provided 3-1/3 innings of scoreless relief, but the Vuls on extra base-hit was Skylar Thomas’ double
Chloe Domingo had two of UHH’s six hits.
The Vuls play their alumni game next weekend.
UHH men win
Bernardo da Silva scored 10 of his game-high 14 points in the second half Saturday night to lead Hawaii’s men’s basketball team to a 62-50 comeback victory over Cal State Bakersfield at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbows (15-9, 9-4 Big West) have two road games next week before the conference tournament the following week in Las Vegas.
On senior night, UH celebrated what is likely the final career home game for Mate Colina, Jerome Desrosiers and Junior Madut. Colina and Madut could play another year but are graduating and have said they will turn pro. Desrosiers, a graduate transfer, is awaiting a ruling on a potential additional season of eligibility.
JoVon McClanahan added 11 points for Hawaii, and Madut scored 10. McClanahan and Madut each made four of four free throws in the last 1 :05 to seal the win.
Desrosiers, who scored nine points, got UH off to a 6-2 lead with two 3-point plays—first, one of the long-shot variety and then the traditional and-1 as he was fouled on a made shot under the basket.
The Roadrunners led 25-20 after a 13-3 run. The Rainbows cut it to 30-28 at halftime.
UH retook the lead 41-40 with 11 :26 left on a basket by da Silva.
Shawn Stith led CSUB (7-16, 2-11) with 12 points.