Most teams have had success against Hawaii in the Big West, but nobody has dominated the Rainbow Warriors like UC Irvine.
The Anteaters have won all seven meetings since Hawaii joined the conference in 2013, including a 2-0 shutout Friday in the Big West opener for both teams at Anteater Ballpark in Irvine, Calif.
Elliot Surrey (3-2) threw a six-hitter and struck out the side in the ninth, finishing with seven in the game. UC Irvine has outscored Hawaii 44-13 in those seven games.
Hawaii (9-17, 0-1 Big West) has lost 18 of its past 23 games in conference dating back to last season.
"It came down to us not scoring any runs," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "But I’m telling you, if we play that way the rest of the year, we’ll have a chance in this league, I really believe that. We pitched well and we really played great defense and that’s the team we’ve said from day one, that should be our identity."
Neither team went to the bullpen, but Surrey got the better of L.J. Brewster (3-3), who gave up both of his runs after leadoff walks.
Mikey Duarte looked at four straight balls to start the game. He scored on Cameron Bishop’s two-out double over the head of Kaeo Aliviado in center.
The Anteaters (12-10, 1-0) added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Brewster walked Kris Paulino. Keston Hiura followed with a single to put runners on the corners with nobody out and Ryan Cooper bunted home Paulino for the 2-0 lead.
Brewster gave up seven hits in eight innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
"It’s a shame for L.J. because he deserved a better fate," Trapasso said. "We had a couple of chances, but they got the sacrifice fly and the safety bunt and we couldn’t get a guy in position to do anything like that."
Surrey walked just one and credited pitching with an early lead for his success.
"The offense got out to an early lead; it really helped settle us down," Surrey said on the ESPN3 broadcast after the game. "It put the pressure on them having to score."
Marcus Doi had three of Hawaii’s six hits and is batting .471 (8-for-17) in his past five games.
Aliviado was hit by a pitch for the eighth time this season and Eric Ramirez drew the only walk by Surrey to put runners on first and second with nobody out in the fourth.
Before Jordan Richartz could bunt the runners over, Aliviado was picked off by catcher Jerry McClanahan, who threw behind the runner at second for the first out.
Doi singled with two outs to put runners on the corners, but UH could not push a run across.
Hawaii got the leadoff runner aboard in the fifth and seventh innings and both times moved the runners up with a bunt. The ‘Bows came up empty in four different at-bats to score a run.
"UC Irvine is always good at their place and they’ve been hot," Trapasso said. "We’ve just got to play the same way tomorrow. We’re not going to get shut out every game, but if we pitch and play defense like that we’re going to have a chance."
The Anteaters have won six straight and nine of 10. Hawaii has lost nine of 12.
The series continues on Saturday at 10 a.m. with right-hander Tyler Brashears (3-2, 2.39 ERA) getting the start for UH.
That game will also be shown on ESPN3.
