Another Sunday, another victory for the Hawaii baseball team.
Jacob Igawa and Kyson Donahue hit home runs, Stone Miyao went 4-for-5, and four UH pitchers worked out of several jams for a 9-3 victory over 18th-ranked Maryland at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
Going 2-1 in the Cambria College Classic, the ’Bows improved their Sunday success to 3-0 this year and 14-2 in Rich Hill’s two seasons at UH head coach. They have outscored opponents 38-11 on Sundays this year.
“That was a great team win,” Hill said.
A day after losing 12-3 to Nebraska, the ’Bows rebounded in a stadium that is home to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.
“No real magic potion or strategy other than to stay positive, get a good night’s sleep, and get back at it,” Hill said of the turnaround. “Maryland had to do the same thing. We’re both up early (on Sunday), eating breakfast, and playing a 9:30 Central time zone game. No big deal. This is the life we chose. The baseball life is nights, weekends, holidays, rainouts, doubleheaders. That’s just how it goes.”
The ’Bows showed grit to overcome issuing 10 walks. Freshman left-hander Harrison Bodendorf set the tone for UH, walking six of the first 12 batters he faced. But a double play helped Bodendorf escape with only one run allowed in the first inning, and he struck out Kevin Keister with the bases loaded to end a scoreless second inning.
In all, Maryland went 4-for-15 with runners on base, including 1-for-9 when they were in scoring position.
“That was the mental toughness we were looking for,” Hill said. “Harrison (Bodendorf) had a tough time throwing strikes (38 in 74 pitches). But he made big pitches when he needed to out of the stretch. The same thing with Dalton (Renne). Ben Zeigler(-Namoa) lost a little bit, too. They made big pitches, and that comes back to their mental toughness.”
Zeigler-Namoa, who started as the designated hitter, replaced Bodendorf on the mound and allowed two runs in 12⁄3 innings. Zeigler-Namoa was awarded the victory to improve to 2-0.
Renne walked two in 11⁄3 scoreless innings. Connor Harrison allowed one hit in the final three innings for his second save.
Hill praised second baseman Miyao’s hitting and fielding. “He’s locked in,” Hill said. “When he’s driving the ball to the left-center-field gap, he’s just spitting on changeups. He looks very comfortable at the plate right now.”
Igawa and Donahue sandwiched home runs around a pitching change. Igawa’s two-run drive was his second of the season. Donahue’s third homer of the season tied Jared Quandt for the team lead.
“We told the guys after the game, that’s how it starts,” Hill said, referencing the ’Bows winning two of three against Big Ten opponents. “We want to be at that level, a perennial-ranked team. To be able to play all these games out here, and to be able see what it looks like, was very beneficial for our guys.”
The ’Bows return to Honolulu this afternoon ahead of this weekend’s series against Connecticut.