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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii infielder Stephen Ventimilia (5) connects for an RBI single in the sixth inning of a college baseball game between the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and the CSU Northridge Matadors on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Les Murakami Stadium in Manoa. Hawaii won 3-1.
Hawaii strung together three straight two-out hits in the eighth inning to turn a one-run deficit into a 7-4 win over Long Beach State in the opener of a three-game series at Blair Field on Friday night in Long Beach, Calif.
Marcus Doi hit the game-tying single and Chayce Ka’aua put Hawaii ahead with a base hit to shallow center to score Eric Ramirez in the eighth.
Freshman Jonathan Weeks, starting at third base for the first time since Feb. 21, added a run-scoring single and Kaeo Aliviado singled home Stephen Ventimilia in the ninth inning for another run.
Hawaii (16-26, 7-9 Big West) snapped a nine-game road losing streak and won for the first time in 24 games this season when trailing after seven innings.
Andrew Jones (1-3) earned the win with 1 2/3 shutout innings in relief of L.J. Brewster, who gave up four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
Quintin Torres-Costa worked the final two innings to earn his team-high fifth save.
Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso was tossed out of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning for arguing balls and strikes.
Weeks went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Alan Baldwin had two hits and scored twice. Ka’aua also had two hits including one of three UH doubles.
Austin McGeorge (2-1) was hit with the loss in relief of Kyle Friedrichs, who gave up three runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings with one walk and three strikeouts.
The Dirtbags’ NCAA tournament hopes took a hit, falling to 8-8 in conference and 23-18 overall.
Game 2 is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday.
