There was no doubt about that one.
The Hawaii baseball team scored early and often against Albany on Friday night, making quick work of the Great Danes in a 9-0 win at Les Murakami Stadium.
A crowd of 2,013 witnessed the Rainbow Warriors (2-4) pound Albany starter Cameron Sorgie for six runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Freshman Marcus Doi continued his hot start with three hits, including a triple, and scored three times as Hawaii finished with its most runs since a 14-2 win over New Mexico State in 2012 — a span of 67 games.
"No question that was our best game," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "We played great defense, made all of the routine plays, made some great plays, and looked like the team we think we are."
UH turned two double plays to support starter Jarrett Arakawa (1-0), who worked six shutout innings to pick up the win.
He walked two and struck out three, but needed 94 pitches to make it that far.
"I felt a little better, but I don’t think I’m anywhere near where I want to be," said Arakawa, whose last win was May 17, 2012, against Nevada. "I’m a little wild at times and hopefully that comes with experience, but I can’t make any excuses. I have to come out here and get the job done."
The junior southpaw faced only one over the minimum through the first four innings but was tested late.
Albany (0-2) loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, forcing Arakawa to make three quality pitches to Cory Kingston, who hit a dribbler that catcher Alan Baldwin caught cleanly and threw to first to end the inning.
In the sixth, Arakawa gave up consecutive one-out singles as he reached his pitch count set by Trapasso, who let him stay in to face designated hitter Evan Harasta.
Harasta made him work, fouling off a tough two-strike pitch before Arakawa got him to bounce into Albany’s second double play.
"It got him into some competitive situations and got the juices flowing a little bit because he had to make some pitches," Trapasso said. "It’s hard in those kind of games to stay focused and I thought he did a pretty good job."
Senior Josh Elms kept Hawaii’s bullpen fresh heading into the weekend, earning a three-inning save. The right-hander allowed just one hit and one walk with a strikeout and has yet to surrender a run in two outings this season.
"That was huge," Arakawa said. "We don’t really know who is going to do what going into the season and so far he’s stepped up. He didn’t leave any room to let anything crazy happen."
Junior Kaeo Aliviado added two hits to extend his hitting streak to six and third baseman LJ Brewster ended an 0-for-11 start with an RBI double in the second inning.
Hawaii scored three runs in each of the first two innings to take the suspense out of the game early.
"Our confidence is going through the roof right now," Brewster said. "I’ve been struggling a little bit and it was a hit-and-run, so it felt good."
Marc Flores drove in three runs and Jordan Richartz added an RBI double in the sixth.
Hawaii will flip-flop its weekend starters, with junior southpaw Scott Squier (0-0, 2.57 ERA) getting the nod Saturday afternoon at 1:05.
Senior Scott Kuzminsky (0-1, 9.00) will pitch Sunday.
Before the game, assistant coach Rusty McNamara and his wife welcomed their first child together, Rowan, who was born Friday morning.
HAWAII 9, ALBANY 0
ALBANY |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
UH |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Kingston cf |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Doi lf |
4 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
Lepre c |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Hurley lf |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Bullard 2b |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
Aliviado cf |
5 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Nethaway 1b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Richartz dh |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Peltz 3b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Podratz ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Harasta dh |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Flores 1b |
4 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
Hoagboon rf |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Kleman ph |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Hinchy 3b |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Hanawahine rf |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Longhurst ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Jones 2b |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Mund lf |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Wobrock ss |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
VonMoser ss |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Baldwin c |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Pollakov ph |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Brewster 3b |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
Totals |
30 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Totals |
34 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
ALBANY (0-2) |
000 |
000 |
000 |
— |
0 |
5 |
4 |
HAWAII (2-4) |
330 |
101 |
10x |
— |
9 |
10 |
0 |
E—Bullard, Peltz, VonMoser 2. DP—Hawaii 2. LOB—Albany 7, Hawaii 9. 2B—Bullard; Richartz, Brewster. 3B—Doi. HBP—Wobrock, Baldwin. SF—Hanawahine, Brewster. SB—Bullard. CS—Flores.
ALBANY |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Sorgie (L, 0-1) |
12⁄3 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
Castro |
41⁄3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Moore |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
HAWAII |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Arakawa (W, 1-0) |
6 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
Elms (S, 1) |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
WP—Sorgie 2, Moore. HBP—by Sorgie (Baldwin); by Moore (Wobrock). Umpires—(Plate): Ruben Chavira. (First): Bradley Hungerford. (Third): John Bullock. T—2:33. A—2,013.