The freshman corps and the defensive core lifted the University of Hawaii baseball team to a 3-2 victory over San Francisco at Les Murakami Stadium.

A Saturday matinee crowd of 1,135 saw the Rainbow Warriors receive production from five freshman starters, a key ninth-inning play from their best defender, and a redemptive outing from a specialist pitcher.

“It was big for us to win a close one when we didn’t win the first two close ones,” said UH coach Mike Trapasso, referring to consecutive 11-inning losses to open this four-game series. “We have to keep pitching and playing defense and trust the hitting will come around. We think it will, although thinking doesn’t get it done.”

The ’Bows entered the ninth leading 3-2 when Colin Ashworth, who had relieved Neil Uskali an inning earlier, issued a leadoff walk to Harrison Bruce. Bruce went to second on Ashworth’s wild pitch, then raced to third on Tyler Villaroman’s groundout to short.

Trapasso then summoned left-handed Patrick Martin to face Matt Sinatro, a lefty hitter. Martin had not pitched since the opener, when the only batter he faced walked and then scored, giving him an earned-run average of infinity.

“He’s a confidence guy, meaning he’s had none since he’s been here, but he has tremendous stuff and he can help us,” Trapasso said of Martin. “His job is to come in and throw that slider, left on left.”

Martin said he had confidence in his slider while warming up in the bullpen. He threw an 0-1 slider to Sinatro, who pulled a grounder. Eric Ramirez, a reliable first baseman, fielded the ball and threw to catcher Kekai Rios, who tagged out Bruce in front of the plate. A night earlier, a USF player eluded Rios’ attempted tag, leading to Trapasso’s ensuing protest and ejection.

“I didn’t want the same thing to happen again,” Rios said. “I over-exaggerated myself to block the plate. (Ramirez) made another good play and another good throw. We got the job done.”

Ramirez said: “I knew I had time. I made a nice and easy throw.”

Sinatro stole second. Nico Giarratano then drove Martin’s four-seam fastball to deep right, where the ball was chased down by Jacob Sniffin for the final out.

Sniffin was the only one of the five UH freshman starters not to get a hit. Trapasso changed the lineup because the ’Bows entered with three runs in the previous 33 innings.

“I don’t know how bold the move was,” Trapasso said. “It wasn’t like we knocked the cover off the ball with the other guys. We sent a message. We like these freshmen. We let them play. It was good for the ‘kiddie crew’ to go out there and play.”

Two freshmen produced UH’s first run in the third. Second baseman Zack Chan walked, stole second and scored on shortstop Dustin Demeter’s single to left-center. Josh Rojas drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.

After the Dons closed to 2-1, freshman catcher Tyler Murray hit a double to open the bottom of the sixth. One out later, Alex Fitchett was summoned as a pinch hitter. Fitchett has remained confident despite being used sparingly. He pounded a changeup for a double to score Murray for a 3-1 lead.

“I’m always expecting to get into the game and getting that big hit,” Fitchett said. “I’m happy Coach went to me in that spot.”