Andrew Morales is still perfect as UC Irvine’s starting pitcher.

The right-hander extended his scoreless-innings streak to 25 1/3 innings and Kris Paulino hit a two-run homer to power the Anteaters past Hawaii 7-1 in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night at Les Murakami Stadium.

Morales (6-0) got the better of Hawaii starter Matt Cooper (3-2).

A crowd of 2,160 watched Morales improve to 16-0 over his two-year Anteaters career, helping UCI (19-10, 3-1 Big West) move into a first-place tie in the conference with Cal Poly, which lost to UC Santa Barbara on Friday.

Morales allowed one walk on seven hits in 71⁄3 innings with four strikeouts. In his two career starts against the ‘Bows, he’s given up just eight hits and one walk in 141⁄3 scoreless innings.

"He was as good as what we saw last year and you just tip your hat because they beat us soundly," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said.

Hawaii (14-14, 2-2) lost for just the third time in its past 10 games.

Cooper gave up a season-high six runs on eight hits in 61⁄3 innings with three walks and only two strikeouts.

Taylor Sparks went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored and Paulino and Jonathan Munoz each drove in two runs for the Anteaters.

Marcus Doi had two hits and Austin Wobrock doubled home Hawaii’s only run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

UH was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Morales lowered his league-leading ERA to 0.45, ranking in the top 10 in the country.

"We have to be better and we have to execute," Trapasso said. "That’s all there is to it."

UCI second baseman John Brontsema, hitting ninth in the order, had hits in his first two at-bats before he was taken out for a defensive replacement in the sixth inning.

Just 3-for-27 this season coming in, Brontsema singled in the second and then tripled off the right-field wall in the fourth to drive in UCI’s first run.

The Rainbow Warriors unraveled in the fifth inning defensively, making two errors that resulted in three UCI runs.

Sparks’ one-out single was the only hit as UH center fielder Kaeo Aliviado dropped the ball, allowing runners to advance to second and third.

Jonathan Munoz then dropped a bunt in front of Cooper, who tried to hurry a throw home and tossed it over the glove of catcher Trevor Podratz, allowing a second run to score.

Jerry McClanahan followed with a sacrifice fly to give Morales and the Anteaters a 4-0 lead.

"We gave a up few unearned runs and we’ve got to be better," Wobrock said. "When we play good we can beat anyone and we didn’t play as well as they did today."

Hawaii sophomore L.J. Brewster, who started 13 games at third base for the ‘Bows this season, pitched for the first time in his career and struck out three in the ninth inning, touching 93 mph on the radar gun.

A closer in high school, Brewster didn’t start pitching in practice until three weeks ago. He warmed up in the middle game of the UC Santa Barbara series last weekend but never got in.

"I was a little nervous because I was worried about throwing strikes because Trap really preaches about that," Brewster said. "After I threw that first strike, a lot of pressure got off me."

Two of his three strikeouts came against UCI’s best power hitters — Sparks and Paulino, who was caught looking on a sharp breaking ball after Brewster’s fastball touched 93.

"That’s what his future is going to be," Trapasso said. "He was the bright spot of the night and we’ll see him a lot more."