Austin Wobrock’s only hitless at-bat in two days turned out to be the most important.

Wobrock’s grounder to second scored Alan Baldwin with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Hawaii baseball team swept a two-game exhibition series against East China University of Political Science and Law with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday night at Les Murakami Stadium.

Wobrock, who was 3-for-4 with a double in the series, hit a chopper to second slow enough that a drawn-in infield didn’t have time to throw home, instead taking the out at first allowing UH to take the lead.

The junior college transfer from Orange Coast played both shortstop and third in the series.

"We’re all competing for a spot and that’s been my mind-set," he said. "Three and 0 and I got the green light and the whole time (the pitcher’s) motion was throwing me off a little bit but it worked for me … and it got the job done."

Stephen Ventimilia had two of Hawaii’s five hits and senior Pi‘ikea Kitamura and redshirt freshman Alan Baldwin each doubled.

Baldwin caught the entire series with Trevor Podratz bothered by a heel injury and Tyler Young, a JC transfer who graduated from Punahou, unable to play due to transfer rules forcing him to sit out until the spring.

"I thought he did a super job and he’s matured and improved so much in the last year," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "I think he’s going to help us because his throws down to second have been very good the past week and he works hard."

Freshman Quintin Torres-Costa, the reigning state pitcher of the year in high school, earned the win closing out the game with three shutout innings.

Torres-Costa, who struck out 13 in six hitless innings in the state championship game back in May, fanned six.

The only blemish was a one-out double in the ninth by Zhang Qian Bin, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple on a solid relay throw from second baseman Andre Real.

"This really was looking for the new guys (and) I think we really learned some things," Trapasso said. "We saw we’ve got something special with (Torres-Costa) and I think we’ve learned in a couple days that Austin Wobrock, Jerry Kleman, Marc Flores are going to be good players for us I think."

Starter Scott Squier gave up consecutive hits in the first inning that led to East China University’s first run. But after an RBI single by Li Chao, Squier struck out the next five and seven of eight batters as he finished the game allowing three hits through four innings.

"We’ve got to get a lot better, but we got time and it was fun to go out there and compete," Trapasso said. "I thought that Squier was good."

UH showed it should have more flexibility than in years past come the spring. Hawaii had five lefties in its starting lineup and could add a potential sixth with Wobrock starting at third, something it hasn’t had in recent years.

Flores, who started both games at first base, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Baldwin scored twice, giving UH a 2-1 lead in the third on a sacrifice fly by Kaeo Aliviado.

"It’s back to the scrimmage grind, but we’re seeing that we definitely have some flexibility and depth that we’re able to see," Trapasso said. "We’ve got a long ways to go, but it’s a good group of guys as far as their work ethic and to get all the pitchers going in the spring, we’ll be able to see what we’re like at full strength."