Baseball: Vuls split with Hawaii Pacific

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a UH-Hilo season-opening doubleheader.

The Vulcans and Hawaii Pacific traded lopsided results Friday night at Wong Stadium, with UHH showing off its new lineup in a 10-3 win before falling 11-3 with ace Dylan Spain backed by shaky defense.

The Vuls committed nine errors on the day, including five in the second game.

Earlier, UHH got off to banging start, compiling eight of 14 hits in the third inning for an eight-run uprising. Making his Vuls debut, Kobie Russell hit an RBI single and finished with three hits, RJ Romo brought in three runs with hits, including a double, Jaryn Kanbara doubled in a run and Kyle Yamada had an RBI single among hits two hits.

Left-hander Kyle Alcorn pitched 5-2/3 solid innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits with a walk. Jordan Tagawa got an out and Travis Burleson worked three innings and gave up two doubles and three runs.

Kanbara hit another double in the nightcap to give UHH a 2-0 lead, but Jake Selco touched Spain for a two-run home run and Hawaii Pacific led 9-3 after a a five-run fourth inning that was aided by two errors.

Spain lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs, three earned, on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Also making his Vuls debut, Casey Yamauchi was 2 for 3 after collecting a run-scoring single in the first game.