Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said a prayer that Dustin Demeter answered.

Demeter smacked a two-run, strut-off homer to deliver Hawaii a 5-4 comeback victory over Hawaii Hilo at Les Murakami Stadium.

“It was a great at-bat I’ll never forget,” Demeter said.

The Rainbow Warriors had squandered numerous opportunities and were held to four hits through the first eight innings.

With one out and the ’Bows trailing 4-3 against Hilo’s closer, Adam Fogel worked the count to 2-2.

>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. Hawaii-Hilo

“The 2-2 count with Fogel, I asked my mom to put in a good word with the big guy,” said Trapasso, whose mother died two weeks earlier. “She’s up there now.”

Fogel coaxed a walk against right-hander John Kea, who saved 10 games in 2019 and was named to the preseason Pac-West team.

Demeter, a left-hitting second baseman, then rocketed a 1-1 fastball over the wall in right field.

“I was looking for a good pitch to hit,” Demeter said. “It was a fastball inside. I knew he was coming inside because a lot of the previous at-bats, (the pitches) were going inside. I had a gut feeling he would come in, and he came in. When I hit it, I knew it was gone. Immediately. I just knew it. It was pretty cool.”

Fogel, who had a first-base view, declared: “It was huge. Thank God, I got on because Dustin picked me up. I couldn’t be happier for Dustin.”

Trapasso said: “I felt like Demmy was going to come through. I really felt it. Talking about a welcome-back party for him.”

It was a comeback for Fogel and Demeter. Fogel had missed all but 10 games last season after suffering a shoulder injury. Demeter missed the 2019 season after undergoing surgery to both hips.

Asked if his hips were fine, Demeter smiled and said, “better than ever.”

The Vulcans broke a 3-all tie in the seventh. They filled the bases with one out. Lucas Sakay grounded to short for the forceout at second. But second baseman Aaron Ujimori’s relay skipped and could not be vacuumed by first baseman Alex Baeza as Lawson Faria trotted home with the go-ahead run.

The Vulcans took only three batters — and nine pitches — to seize a 2-0 lead.

With one out, Rustin Ho singled to left field. Designated hitter Jacob Igawa then drove a 2-0 pitch over the wall in center field to stake the Vulcans to a two-run lead.

The ’Bows cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the first. Scotty Scott was struck by a 2-1 pitch, then advanced to second on Kole Kaler’s sacrifice. One out later, Scott scored on Demeter’s double to left-center. It was Demeter’s first hit and RBI in 20 months.

The ’Bows went ahead 3-2 in the second. Baeza lined a single to right. Dallas Duarte then put down a bunt that left-handed pitcher Kyle Alcorn could not glove for an error. Baeza and Duarte advanced on Ujimori’s sacrifice. Tyler Best then drove a 2-0 pitch to center to plate Baeza and Duarte.

The Vulcans tied it in the top of the third. Sakay singled to left-center, stole second, went to third on a grounder to short, and scored on a passed ball off Duarte’s mitt.

#HawaiiBSB third baseman Dustin Demeter played his first game since hip injuries robbed him of his 2019 season.

He delivered a walk-off homer in his first game back.

“Most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball,” he said. pic.twitter.com/7dZmGj1Mag

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) February 8, 2020