University of Hawaii second baseman Shunsuke Sakaino today was named the Big West Field Player of the Week.

“I’m just really surprised right now,” Sakaino said of the honor. “Just to get into the box, because of my teammates putting me up there, I love to give them credit.”

In a season-opening, four-game sweep of Marshall, Sakaino hit .636 (7-for-11) and played flawless defense (no errors in 12 chances).

In 16 plate appearances, Sakaino had seven hits and three walks and was struck by a pitch. He also stole three bases on three attempts. He hit the walk-off single to complete the Rainbow Warriors’ comeback in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Les Murakami Stadium.

While in the groove, Sakaino said, the baseball “seems a little bigger than usual. But it was, I think, it was a little switch in the approach that helped me see the ball better.”

He said he starts “everything earlier,” a reference to tracking and attacking pitches.

Hawaii coach Rich Hill praised Sakaino’s base running.

“On the stopwatch, he’s not going to light it up, not going to wow you,” Hill said. “He has baseball speed. He has a really good first step. And 90 feet by 90 feet, he’s pretty good.”

Sakaino was born in Japan — a few miles from Tokyo Disneyland — and moved to San Diego when he was 5. He played three seasons at Cal State Northridge before entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Hill said Sakaino, a left-swinging hitter who throws right-handed, has been “great on defense. He’s fearless out there. He plays with confidence.”

Offensively, Hill said of Sakaino, “he really drove some balls (during the series), especially to the opposite field, then a pull-side double. It’s not like he’s just flipping balls out there. He put the screws to a few of them. I’m happy for him. All the hard work paid off. It’s a good reward.”