To the victors go a round of boba smoothies.
In sweet fashion, the University of Hawaii baseball team celebrated yet another Sunday victory and the completion of a three-game sweep of UC San Diego at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla, Calif.
A crowd of 412 saw the Rainbow Warriors make the most of four hits to prevail, 4-0, and improve to 27-21 overall and 18-9 in the Big West. The ’Bows are 11-2 on Sundays. With four games remaining, the ’Bows clinched a winning regular season.
Andy Archer, Connor Harrison and Dalton Renne combined on a five-hitter. In what is becoming a ritual, the pitchers celebrated the shutout with boba smoothies.
“Good game,” UH coach Rich Hill said. “Andy Archer was great. He had a little zip on his fastball, a little downhill plane to it. His curveball was working. He’s got that split change. All three were working today.”
Hill said Archer’s velocity has increased in recent weeks, and that he has been successful against left-handed hitters. The Tritons had four left-handed batters in their opening lineup,
In four innings, Archer allowed three hits and walked two while striking out three. Archer exited after issuing a leadoff double to Noah Sudyka in the fifth. Harrison then fielded Luke Saunders’ bunt and fired to third to get Sudyka. Harrison pitched 22⁄3 innings, allowing two hits and two walks.
Renne got the final seven outs for his team-high sixth save.
“Man, anytime you can shut somebody out with the wind blowing out like that,” Hill said. “And UCSD is a good offensive team.”
The ’Bows took a 1-0 lead without a hit in the sixth inning. Kyson Donahue walked — starter Noah Conlon issued eight bases on balls — went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Aaron Ujimori’s grounder to second.
In the eighth, Donahue hit a solo shot — his fifth of the season — over the wall in right field to extend the ’Bows’ lead to 2-0.
In the ninth, Scotty Scott and Jordan Donahue reached on consecutive one-out walks. One out later, Stone Miyao hit an opposite-field double to left-center to make it 4-0.
“Timely hit by Miyao,” Hill said.
Hill also praised Kyson Donahue, who played in place of first baseman Jacob Igawa this weekend. Donahue has played five positions this season, earning the nickname “Super U” from Hill for his utility abilities.
Hill, who was hired last June, marveled at the ’Bows’ development.
“From transition of where we were — guys going in the (transfer) portal, guys getting drafted, guys getting injured — it’s all about these players and assistant coaches,” Hill said. “I’ve never seen a team improve from the first day of the fall, when we could barely get the signs straight and every concept was brand new, to the back half of May. It’s pretty astounding what these guys have been able to accomplish and how good they’ve been able to become.”
Hill said freshman pitcher Cory Ronan will start today’s game against Cal Baptist. The ’Bows return to Honolulu Tuesday in advance of the season-ending series against Cal Poly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.