No. 6 Texas took advantage of four Hawaii errors to pull out a 4-3 series-clinching win over the Rainbows this afternoon at Les Murakami Stadium.
Mark Payton went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Tant Shepherd had an RBI single for the Longhorns (5-3).
Pi‘ikea Kitamura hit a two-run homer, UH’s first of the season, to lead the Rainbows (3-4).
Hawaii nearly pulled off another ninth-inning comeback, scoring a run and leaving the bases loaded. Jeff Van Doornum hit an RBI single, but Conner George hit a line drive to the pitcher, who doubled off Van Doornum at first to end the game.
Jesse Moore (0-1) allowed six hits and three runs, all unearned, in four innings to take the loss.
Texas starter Sam Stafford (1-0) went 5 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and no runs with five walks and 10 strikeouts to pick up the victory.
UH heads to California for a four-game series against Loyola Marymount beginning on Thursday.