UH-Hilo went 13-plus innings before it scored a run Monday, and by that point it was too little, too late to catch Fresno Pacific.
The Sunbirds used a pair of fine pitching performances to sweep a doubleheader in Northern California, 3-0 and 5-2, ending the Vulcans’ modest three-game winning streak and dropping them back below .500.
UHH (11-13, 7-9 Pacific West Conference) wasted a fine start in the first game by Drew Ichikawa, who was outdueled by Nic Boatman (3-2), who pitched eight innings.
Ichikawa didn’t allow a run through six innings, but Brandyn Lee-Lehano (0-3) was hurt by an error in the seventh and allowed three unearned runs. The big blow was Adam Aleman’s two-run double with two outs.
The Vulcans outhit the Sunbirds 8-6, getting two apiece from Jonathan Segovia and Jaryn Kanbara.
In the second game, Josue Mendivil (1-2) pitched a seven-inning complete game, striking out six.
Eddie Sievers hit a three-run home run in the fourth off of Travis Burleson (1-4), who pitched 3 1/3 innings and left with UHH trailing 5-0.
The Vulcans finally got on the board in the fifth courtesy of Dylan Sugimoto’s RBI double and Segovia’s run-scoring single.
Edo Sakata finished with two hits.
On the bright side, UH-Hilo managed its third consecutive PacWest series split, matching its total from 2017.
The Vulcans open a four-game series at Dixie State on Thursday with a single 2 p.m. game.
Vuls tennis remains hot
UH-Hilo men’s tennis team swept singles play Monday, helping pave the
way for their eighth consecutive win with an 8-1 victory against Biola in La Mirada, Calif.
The No. 5 Vulcans (11-1) head into a Tuesday showdown with unbeaten (17-0) Azusa Pacific.
The Vulcans had to rally in two of the singles matches after dropping the first set. Chun En Wu bounced back at No. 3 with a 2-6, 6-2, 10-5 win over Derek James, and Gregory Zukeran did the same on court five with a 0-6, 6-1, 10-5 reversal versus Logan Blair.
The Vulcans cruised on the other singles courts with straight sets wins by Vaclav Slezak, Alessandro Giuliato, Alex Fillat Perez and Stefan Coney. Slezak and Giuliato rolled in doubles on court one (8-4), ditto for Fillat Perez and Bruno Figlia at No. 2 (8-3).
The Eagles captured their lone win at No. 3 doubles, where Blair and Lee upset Zukeran and Wu, 8-6. It was just the second loss of the year for the UHH tandem, who is now 10-2 in doubles play at No. 3.
No 5 Hawaii Hilo 8, Biola 1
Singles
#24 Vaclav Slezak (UHH) def. Philip Westwood (BU), 6-1, 6-2.
#36 Alessandro Giuliato (UHH) def. Derek James (BU), 6-2, 6-2.
#65 Chun En Wu (UHH) def. Lucas Lee (BU), 2-6, 6-2, 10-5.
Alex Fillat Perez (UHH) def. Joe Turnquest (BU), 6-2, 6-4.
Gregory Zukeran (UHH) def. Logan Blair (BU), 0-6, 6-1, 10-5.
Stefan Coney (UHH) def. Quentin Lau (BU), 6-3, 6-0.
Doubles
Slezak\Giuliato (UHH) def. Turnquist\James, 8-4.
Fillat Perez\Bruno Figlia (UHH) def. Westwood\Lau (BU), 8-3.
Blair\Lee (BU) def. Zukeran\Wu (UHH), 8-6.
UHH women sweep
The Vulcans evened their record at 7-7 in match that was closer than it appeared at times.
UHH’s Daniela Sanz had to go three sets to defeat Madison Swaney at No. 2 singles, 6-4, 1-6, 6-0, and the tandem of Sanz and Devanshi Bhimjiyani went to a tiebreak before prevailing on court one in doubles against Esther and Lauren Lee, 8-7 (7-4).
Additionally, Sara Marin went deep into a second set tiebreaker before topping Tinisee Kandakai, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7). Marin and Irena Le were also pushed nearly to limit on court two in doubles against Swaney and Kandakai, 8-6.
Bhimjiyani, Marina Colvee, Carmelle Joyner and Le won in straight sets on the other singles courts, while Cheyenne Schula and Gabriela Aguilar Lawlor won easily at No. 3 doubles, 8-1.
Hawaii Hilo 9, Biola 0
Singles
Devanshi Bhimjiyani (UHH) def. Esther Lee (BU), 6-4, 6-1.
Daniela Sanz (UHH) def. Madison Swaney (BU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-0.
Sara Marin (UHH) def. Tinisee Kandakai (BU), 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).
Marina Colvee (UHH) def. Lauren Lee (BU), 6-1, 6-1.
Carmelle Joyner (UHH) def. Allison Torres (BU), 7-5, 6-0.
Irena Le (UHH) def. Lily Waterhouse (BU), 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles
Sanz\Bhimjiyani (UHH) def. Lee\Lee (BU), 8-7 (7-4).
Le/Marin (UHH) def. Swaney\Kandakai (BU), 8-6.
Cheyenne Schula\Gabriela Aguilar Lawlor (UHH) def. Sarah Morgan\Torres, 8-1.
UH Hilo vulcans; this is state funded. Much less fans support than UH Manoa. Who is the college coach now?