The University of Hawaii baseball team couldn’t have won its eighth in a row without No. 8.
Hilo’s DallasJ Duarte drove in three runs during the Rainbow’s 11-run onslaught in the fourth Saturday at CSU Bakersfield, but he didn’t even have the biggest blow of the inning.
That came off the bat of Hilo’s Stone Miyao, who hit a grand slam and finished with six RBIs in a 20-6 victory that completed a second consecutive series sweep for UH.
Belting a season-high 17 hits — eight by Big Islanders — Hawaii (16-16, 9-6) reached .500 heading into a nonconference game Tuesday at Fresno State.
The Roadrunners (14-19, 7-5) made eight errors and have dropped six of their last eight.
Twice with the bases loaded, Duarte delivered two-run singles, finishing 4 for 5 with five RBIs. Miyao’s second career home run, with Matt Wong, Hilo’s Jacob Igawa and Duarte aboard, made 13-1. Duarte set career highs for hits and RBIs in a game.
Duarte, who recently moved to third in the order, was 6-for-12 with a home run and seven RBIs in this series.
“He had a great weekend, ” coach Rich Hill said. “Inserting him into that three hole, he’s done a great job. He gives you a tough at-bat.”
Miyao was 3 for 5, driving home Igawa with in the sixth to make it 20-1 and extending his hit streak to nine games. He’s batting 15 for 39 (.384) during that span. The six RBIs set a career high and his slam was a college first.
With tutoring from hitting coach Dave Nakama, the left-handed Miyao has added oomph to his recent at-bats.
“Him and Coach Nakama have really worked hard, and it’s paying off, ” Hill said of Miyao. “Stone’s got pop. He’s that wiry guy who’s got sneaky pop. The wind was blowing out to right today. You get a barrel on it and up in the air, it’s going to be a home run.”
Playing for the first time in two weeks, Konawaena alum Bronson Rivera was 1 for 2. Igawa saw a seven-game hit streak end, but he scored three times.
The second of six pitchers used by Hill, Connor Harrison (2-0) didn’t give up a run in 3 2/3 innings. Andy Archer started and was removed with one out in the third, allowing four hits and a run with walk and a strikeout.