The afterglow of the most magical day for UH-Hilo athletics in recent memory vanished quickly Sunday as Hawaii’s bats turned the page, striking for five hits and four runs in the top of the first inning.
Almost as impressive as ace Jordan Kurokawa’s masterpiece a day earlier was the fact the Vulcans hung in, scratched back and gave the Rainbow Warriors a scare before losing 11-9 in front of announced crowd of 638 for a split of the two-game baseball series at Wong Stadium.
“This reminded me of a lot of games here,” said UH’s Chayce Ka’aua, a Hilo High graduate. “All the games between Waiakea, Kamehameha, Hilo. Always scrappy games and never a blowout. Everybody competes. You see it in some of the Hilo boys.”
Kurokawa’s two-hit shutout Saturday capped a banner day for the Vulcans, who saw their teams in baseball, men’s and women basketball, softball and men’s and women’s tennis all win on the same day for the first time in, well, forever.
However, Hawaii (1-1) jumped all over Vulcans starter David Moody and pounded out 20 hits. Ka’aua didn’t start, but he relieved ailing catcher Kekai Rios in the bottom of the fourth inning and belted two doubles among his three hits.
The sophomore singled in a run in the fifth, stole a base and scored on Jacob Sheldon-Collins’ hit, and he doubled and scored in the seventh as UH tacked on two key insurance runs.
“Kurokawa had a great night. Sometimes you have guys that have those days,” Ka’aua said. “We know we can hit. You can’t lose confidence, you can’t lose focus. You’ve got to come back the next day. Water under bridge.”
Moody recorded only two outs and was touched for five hits and a walk as Vulcans coach Kallen Miyataki used eight pitchers. Led by Sheldon-Collins (4 for 6), seven different UH players enjoyed multihit games and Eric Ramirez drove in three runs.
“We were kind of flat coming out,” Miyataki said. “The ball wasn’t moving as well as it normally does and we paid the price. Taking nothing away from Manoa. They did their job.”
UH starter Kyle Von Ruden (1-0) didn’t allow a baserunner until Jacob Grijalva (2 for 4) and Nate Green produced a run with back-to-back hits in the fourth.
Kaaua’s run in the fifth put the Vulcans (1-1) behind 8-1, but they battled back with a four-run rally highlighted by Jonathan Segovia’s two-run single.
Segovia, a Keaau graduate, also singled and scored in the seventh as the Vulcans scored twice from the No. 2 spot in the order.
“He looks really good this year,” Ka’aua said of his former BIIF baseball rival. “You can tell he put in his work.
“He hit with us in the cages over the break and during the summer, and he’s looking good. I’m happy for him.”
With two Vulcans runs in and a runner on third in the eighth, Hawaii’s Cody Culp retired Segovia, getting the final four outs for the save. Von Ruden, the first of five pitchers, yielded six hits and five runs with a strikeout in five innings.
The Rainbow Warriors’ hitting barrage would have been worse if not for some fine Vulcans glove work. UH-Hilo committed the game’s only three errors, but Michael Jenkerson made a nice running catch to end the third, and he made a diving catch to rob Josh Rojas of hit to end the eighth, saving a run. Jenkerson finished 2 for 4.
“Our defense is a lot better. I thought we played well and saw the areas we need to work on,” Miyataki said. “This is a good tuneup for Pacific West Conference play.”
Sunday’s crowd wasn’t as big as the paid attendance of 938 on Saturday, which would have been higher if not for the BIIF boys basketball championships going on at Hilo Civic at the same time.
“The crowds were great,” Miyataki said. “It’s always something special to beat Manoa.”
Hawaii 400 220 210 – 11 20 0
UH-Hilo 000 140 220 – 9 12 3
