Hawai’i blasts San Diego State, 16-0, to clinch season series

BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRN
PUBLISHED MARCH 23, 2024

HONOLULU — Sixteen runs per game might be the new norm for the Hawai’i baseball team.

The Rainbow Warriors were nothing short of dominant in game two of their series against San Diego State as they manhandled the Aztecs, 16-0, to clinch the season series Saturday night at the Les Murakami Stadium.

It was the second straight game that Hawai’i (14-7) tallied 16 runs as it overcame a 4-0 deficit to top SDSU the night before, 16-5.

While the total amount of runs scored were the same, the Rainbow Warriors’ doubled the number of hits recorded with 20 in game two of the series.

Designated hitter Austin Machado brought the big bat on Saturday with six total RBIs with a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning and a three-run bomb in the sixth inning.

Jake Tsukada, who set a school record for number of HBPs in a game with four on Friday, had the most hits in the game with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate. Tsukada and Stone Miyao each also crossed home plate three times.

Left-handed pitcher Randy Abshier (1-1) had his best game of the year on the mound as he picked up his first pitching win of the season with seven strikeouts in six shutout innings.

Dylan Waite, Sebastian Gonzalez and Brayden Marx each pitched an inning after Abshier came out to help preserve the shutout.

The Rainbow Warriors will look to complete the season sweep Sunday in a 1:05 p.m. tilt.