Christian Sadler struck out seven in five strong innings Friday night and combined with two relievers to slow Academy of Art, Dylan Sugimoto drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and UH-Hilo won 3-2 to take the first two games of the four-game baseball series at Wong Stadium.
Sugimoto’s two-out hit scored Mikey Rita, who had singled and stolen second base.
Brandyn Lee-Lehano earned the victory for UHH (12-15, 10-10 Pacific West Conference) with three innings of relief, allowing one run, and John Kea nailed down the save, striking out two in the ninth.
Sugimoto was the only Vul to finish with two hits.
For the second consecutive night, Thomas Delgadillo had three hits for the Urban Knights (12-12, 4-9).
The series concludes with a 3 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.
Trailing 1-0 on Friday night, the Vuls scored twice in the sixth. Sugimoto walked, took second and scored on Kobie Russell’s double down the right field line. The next batter, Kamalu Neal, single to make it 2-1.
• In Turlock, Calif, the UHH softball team missed out on a chance at a 2-0 start at the Tournament of Champions, losing to Cal State East Bay 4-3 on the final play of the game.
The Pioneer’s Jennifer Palmares singled down the right field line in the bottom of the eighth to bring home Megan Araneta with the winning run, capping a wild comeback that saw Cal State East Bay (9-22) scored twice in the seventh to tie the game.
The Vulcans looked to be on their way, taking a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. UHH scored a run in the top of the second when Danielle Antolin grounded out with the bases loaded. Kiarra Lincoln added an RBI single in the sixth, and UHH (22-12) scored another run in the inning when pinch-runner Brandee Chinen raced home on Lincoln’s stolen base.
UHH scored a run in the top of the second when Danielle Antolin grounded out with the bases loaded. Kiarra Lincoln added an RBI single in the sixth, and UHH (22-12) scores another run in the inning when pinch-runner Brandee Chinen raced home on Lincoln’s stolen base.
Vuls starter Valerie Alvarado took a gem into the seventh before allowing two runs on a walk, triple and single to tie the game. Leah Gonzales (6-5) stranded the winning run on third, but with the international tie breaker rule in effect – a runner was placed on second to start each half of the eighth – threw a wild pitch and allowed a walk-off single.
In 6 1 1/3 innings, Alvarado yielded three runs on five hits and for walks without a strikeout.
Vevesi Liilii and Kiarra Lincoln each had two hits for UHH.
Earlier, Isabelle Mejia (8-1) pitched a three-hitter and the Vulcans scored twice in the seventh, with Vevesi Liilii racing home on a wild pitch in a 2-1 victory against Cal State San Marcos (8-18).
Mejia singled to lead off the seventh inning, moved to second on a passed ball and scored when Liilii laced a double down the left field line.
In the circle, Mejia struck out four and allowed just three hits, one run and two walks.