MORAGA, Calif. >> Kekai Rios went 3-for-4 with an RBI and four runs scored to help Hawaii’s baseball team hold on for a 9-7 win over the University of San Francisco in 10 innings on Sunday. The Rainbow Warriors survived a bases-loaded scare in the bottom of the 10th inning. Hawaii finished up its first trip to the mainland winning two out of three.

The games were played at Louis Guisto Field on the campus of St. Mary’s College because San Francisco’s field is undergoing a renovation.

Rios was again an unlikely offensive star. The No. 9 hitter is a freshman catcher who was being asked to provide solid defense while Chayce Ka‘aua recovers from a broken finger. Instead, Rios is hitting .409 after going 7-for-13 over the weekend.

“I feel like I’m capable of hitting,” Rios said. “I’m just trying to come up in my situation and execute when I need to. That’s what the coaches really want me to do. They think I’m more of a defensive player but my offense can be a plus.”

Said Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso, “You can’t feel any better for a guy like Kekai. He works his tail off. As a freshman to be able to get off to that kind of start. He’s going to be our workhorse until Chayce gets back.”

Rios’ biggest hit was his attempt to sacrifice in the top of the 10th. Alex Sawelson had led off with a single before being replaced by pinch runner Kobi Candaroma. Rios was asked to bunt and dropped a poached egg right in front of the plate. Dons pitcher Joey Carney came charging in to try to play it but went down on the ground. Rios beat it out without a throw.

After a failed sacrifice, Jacob Sheldon-Collins singled to load the bases. Eric Ramirez then doubled off of Matt Warkentin to put Hawaii up 9-7.

“When one guy executes, it just starts something,” Rios said of his bunt single.

In the bottom of the 10th, Josh Pigg was brought on to close it out. Instead, he allowed a walk and a single to start. After a sacrifice put runners at second and third, Matt Valencia was called in. He walked the bases loaded, but struck out Nico Giarratano on a slider. Blake Vallen then hit a sharp groundball to short. Sheldon-Collins knocked it down then fired the ball to second baseman Jose Rojas to barely get Harrison Bruce at second on the force to end the game.

“We were just one at-bat short right there,” USF coach Nino Giarratano said. “Nico comes up in a situation where he’s had a really good day. The guy just made a great pitch to him – a slider down – and beat him. I thought altogether we put together some really good at-bats.”

Hawaii (4-5) got another strong start with left-hander Alex Hatch going 61⁄3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He left leading 4-3 with a man on but Isaac Friesen allowed a hit and a sacrifice fly to tie the score. Rainbow Warriors starters made it into the seventh inning in all three games.

The bullpen, on the other hand, wasn’t quite up to par. After Hawaii got two in the eighth and one in the ninth to take a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth, the Dons (1-8) once again scored three runs. On Saturday, it was good enough to win. Not quite on Sunday. The key was the extra run the Rainbow Warriors got in the top of the ninth. That’s something Hawaii couldn’t do on Saturday.

“If you’ve got an opportunity to extend the lead, you better,” Trapasso said. “That ninth inning run saved us the game.”

Now, the Rainbow Warriors return home for the next month-plus. Beginning with Thursday’s game against West Virginia, Hawaii is home for its next 19 games, including a three-game series against UC Irvine April 1-3 to open Big West Conference play. The next road game is April 8 at UC Davis.

Hawaii 9, San Francisco 7, 10 Inn.

E—Sheldon-Collins 2, Fitchett. DP–1. LOB—Hawaii 12, San Fransisco 11. 2B—LoCoco, Ramirez, Fitchett, Rojas, Giarratano, Matranga. SH—Linebarger, Sinatro 2. SF—Valley. SB—Sheldon-Collins 2, Valley. CS–James.

WP—Goodman, Waliczek. BK—Steele. Umpires—(Plate): Sid Aguilar. (First): Kendall Snyder. (Third): Greg Charles. T—3:53. A—250.