The Hawaii baseball team weathered Mother Nature but not Wright State’s strong start in Friday night’s season-opening 8-3 loss at Les Murakami Stadium.

Daylong rainfall and a gloomy forecast cast doubts on whether the four-game series would open on schedule. The thunder showers never materialized, though, and the teams played in light rain.

But a crowd of 1,453 saw the visitors from Dayton, Ohio, provide the early thunder. Shortstop Justin Riemer drew a six-pitch walk to lead off the game, and then left-handed Julian Greenwell lofted a high-arcing drive that cleared the wall in center field.

“It was a 2-1 pitch, and (Harry Gustin) threw me a fastball over the heart of the plate,” Greenwell said. “I capped it a little bit. There were some favorable wind here. I was able to sneak one out of there, so that was good. It was a good way to start the game.”

In the stadium’s cross winds, drives to center usually die. “Hey, he hit it pretty good,” UH coach Rich Hill said. “You just have to give him credit. That’s out of a lot of ballparks, including a lot of big league ballparks.”

In the bottom of the inning, Greenwell, who was playing first base, was injured when he fell while trying to field a throw.

“I sliced my (right) elbow,” said Greenwell, who continued to play after the injury was wrapped. After the game, he said he was going to get stitches. “It hurt a little bit, but I’m good now.”

The Raiders added two runs in the second to widen their lead to 4-0. Andrew Patrick scored on Parker Harrison’s double to left. Harrison eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.

The Raiders broke it open with a four-run eighth in which they drew five walks and advanced on a wild pitch and error.

“You win or you learn.” Hill said. “We’re going to be a work in progress, especially on the mound, as we try to find answers to the test.”

Gustin rebounded with scoreless third and fourth innings. Gustin’s 2022 season was abbreviated because of an injury.

But the second-year Warrior pitched well enough to earn the opening start.

“I thought it was great with Harry,” Hill said. “Coming off an injury, and throwing 17 innings (last year), you know, opening-day start, and really working through some jitters. You know, settling down. I thought that was a real sign of mental toughness.”

Trevor Ichimura, who also suffered a midseason injury last year, threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Gustin. He did not issue a walk.

“I thought Trevor Ichimura on the pitching staff really shined,” Hill said. “He came in in a tough situation and did a great job.”

The ’Bows manufactured three runs in the final two innings, with Ben Zeigler-Mamoa and Bronson Rivera producing RBI groundouts. Shortstop Jordan Donahue accounted for three of the ’Bows’ seven hits.

“Lots of positives to be taken away from tonight,” Hill said.

But the ’Bows managed only one hit against Jake Shirk in the first five innings, and hit into a unique double play. With runners at first and second, left-hitting Stone Miyao pulled a grounder in the seventh. The ball eluded Greenwell but was fielded by second baseman Gehrig Anglin, who threw to Greenwell for the out. Greenwell then fired to Luke Arnold at third, who caught UH’s Matt Wong in a rundown. Wong eventually was tagged for the third out.

Shirk allowed two hits in six scoreless innings while striking out six and walking one.

The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader today. UH left-hander Randy Abshier, a transfer from Arizona, is scheduled to throw the first pitch at 1:05 p.m.