Hawaii baseball captures conference series at Cal Poly

Hawaii and Cal Poly split Saturday’s doubleheader, but the Rainbow Warriors came away as the weekend’s overall winner at Baggett Stadium in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

After winning on Friday, the Rainbow Warriors rolled to a 7-2 victory in the first game of the doubleheader to clinch the three-game series. Ben Zeigler-Namoa hit his second homer of the season.

But the Mustangs scored seven runs in the sixth inning to take the second game 10-3.

The ’Bows lost the previous nine series between the teams since joining the Big West during the 2012-13 academic year.

“That was great,” UH coach Rich Hill said of the series win. “That’s what we told the guys after this long day: ‘That’s 18 innings. And guys just leaving it out there. Now you’ve proven you can win a series on the road.’ Check that box.”

Zeigler-Namoa, a 2021 Baldwin High graduate who played at Yavapai College last year, went 2-for-2, scored three runs and drove in two in the doubleheader’s first game. Third baseman Kyson Donahue contributed three hits.

In his longest outing of the season, Arizona transfer Randy Abshier allowed two runs and struck out four in five innings to improve to 1-1.

“A lot of good pitching,” Hill said. “Randy Abshier gave us that quality start.”

Dalton Renne pitched 31⁄3 scoreless innings before tiring in the ninth. Renne entered with a 10.00 ERA.

“Dalton Renne was the story of the game for me,” Hill said. “He was such a good leader last year. He kind of got back to his old self today.”

Connor Harrison got the final two outs.

In the seven-run sixth inning of the second game, the Mustangs scored two runs on a fielder’s choice error and another two on an infield single.

Hill made three pitching changes that inning, including summoning left-hander Tai Atkins with a 3-2 count on switch-hitter Taison Corio with a Mustang on first. “I brought Tai in a full count, turn that switch hitter around, eliminate the stolen base,” Hill said of the tactic.

But Atkins completed the walk to Corio, then beaned Kemet Brown to load the bases. Ryan Fenn then grounded to second baseman Stone Miyao, whose throw to second sailed past shortstop Kyson Donahue. Wyatt King and Corio both scored to break a 2-all tie. Later, with the bases refilled, Joe Yorke pulled a grounder that Miyao, who was playing deep, dove to stop in short right field. Two runners scored on that infield single.

Atkins, who is being counted on a for a late-inning role, did not retire any of the six batters he faced. “He’s just trying to find himself right now,” Hill said of Atkins. “We’ll go back to the drawing board, work some things out, and he’ll be back to normal pretty quick. Tai’s the first one to be accountable and acknowledge and go back to work. He’ll be back to where he was — and even better, I’m convinced.”

The Mustangs scored 13 runs in their previous seven games.

The teams were scheduled to play single games this weekend. Because heavy rain was forecast for today, it was decided to move that game to Saturday as part of a makeshift doubleheader.

The ’Bows stayed overnight in San Luis Obsipo. They will have weight training this morning, then make the 31⁄2-hour bus ride to Los Angeles this afternoon. The ’Bows return to Honolulu on Monday.

The ’Bows, who are 9-8 overall and 2-1 in the Big West, play host to Tulane in an interconference series next weekend.