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Zack Swasey’s two-run single highlighted a four-run ninth inning to give Hawaii a 6-2 win over No. 13 Fresno State at Pete Beiden Field in Fresno, Calif., on Saturday evening.
Hawaii (24-17, 9-1 Western Athletic Conference) has won the first two games of the series to take a four-game lead in the loss column over the Bulldogs (28-9, 8-5).
Sean Montplaisir singled through the hole between first and second to score Jeff Van Doornum to give Hawaii a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
The team’s traded solo home runs in the sixth when Kolten Wong delivered his sixth blast for the Rainbows while Dusty Robinson cleared the fences for the 11th time this season.
Fresno State tied the game in the seventh when Jacob Alvarez singled home Andy Qualls with one out.
UH starter Jarrett Arakawa was pulled with two outs and the go-ahead run at second. Brent Harrison got Garrett Weber to ground out to end the inning.
Arakawa finished the game allowing two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
Hawaii took the lead in the ninth on a throwing error by Jordan Ribera trying to get Collin Bennett out at the plate on a bunt by Jesse Moore. Pi’ikea Kitamura hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to score Garrett Champion for a 4-2 lead.
After a walk to Wong, Swasey singled under the glove of the shortstop to score two more and put UH ahead 6-2.
Harrison (1-1) pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing only a two-out single by Ribera in the ninth.
The series continues on Sunday at 10 a.m. Hawaii time.
