‘Bows break out the bats to eliminate Cal State Fullerton

Another elimination game, another survival statement.

The University of Hawai’i baseball team ended the season of a third different program this week on Friday evening, eliminating No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton (29-27) from the first Big West Baseball Championship tournament, 16-4. Center fielder Matt Miura led the way for the Rainbow Warrior bats, going 4-for-6 at the dish with two runs scored and another three runs batted in as the No. 4 seed sent the Titans packing behind 19 hits as a team.

Senior left-hander Cory Ronan picked up with win for Hawai’i (35-20) as he spun 1.1 innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and walking one while facing seven batters. Sophomore star Isaiah Magdaleno picked up his ninth save of the year for the Rainbow Warriors, going 3.2 innings and striking out three to help deliver UH into Saturday’s action.

Jordan Donahue continued his hot streak of the week with his third home run in six days, doing a little bit of everything as he walked, stole two bases, scored three runs and turned in a team-best four RBI with a 2-for-5 showing at the plate. Senior left fielder Kamana Nahaku also went 2-for-5 with a trio of RBIs for Hawai’i, following up Donahue’s demolition with his team-leading 10th home run to help put the game out of reach in the later frames.

Hawai’i went with left-hander Sebastian Gonzalez on the mound to open things against Cal State Fullerton. The sophomore southpaw struggled against the Titans during the regular season, taking the loss back on May 10 when he allowed four runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings, but got a massive chance at redemption with stakes at a season highpoint.

Gonzalez got off to a slow start, allowing the first three batters to reach via base hit and a run to score before recording his first out. The lefty wiggled out of the jam with only one run given up and quickly got scoring support as the offense plated three in the top half of the second to put the Rainbow Warriors ahead, 3-1.

After getting the first two outs easily, Gonzalez had to again escape trouble in the bottom of the second inning after a single and two walks loaded the bases for CSUF. Gonzalez got 1B Carter Johnstone to ground out to end the Titans’ threat and proceeded to lock in and retire the final seven batters that he faced before handing the ball over to Ronan to begin the fifth.

After Hawai’i added another run in the top half of the inning, Ronan continued the strong stuff from the Hawai’i pitching staff through the fifth frame before allowing a run as he worked into trouble in the sixth. Head coach Rich Hill immediately pulled the rip cord for star closer Isaiah Magdaleno with 11 outs still to go on defense for the Rainbow Warriors, taking no chances with no tomorrow promised.

Magdaleno quickly extinguished the potential rally with a strikeout and flyout, sending Hawai’i into the seventh inning still with a comfortable 5-2 lead.

The advantage doubled in the top of the seventh as the Rainbow Warriors put up a five-spot behind a pair of home runs from Donahue and Nahaku and a 2-RBI double from Shunsuke Sakaino. Cal State Fullerton sliced back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame, but that was the closest that the Titans would get as Hawai’i added six more insurance runs in the ninth to subdue the home squad of the host site.

“Not a lot of adjectives that can describe our performance in every facet today,” Hill opened his postgame presser saying, giving credit to starting LHP Sebastian Gonzalez for starting the momentum for the team to build on.

“I thought it all started with Gonzo. You know, he is a fiery competitor, and I mean, that’s one run through four innings,” the UH head coach said of his starting pitcher’s performance on two days of rest.

Also pitching on short rest, Hill admitted that Ronan faced some fatigue but was able to get the team to a point where they could turn the ball over to one of the best closers in the country.

“[Ronan] was able to throw that breaking ball for a strike, get us to a situation where our MVP, Magdaleno, took control,” said Hill. “It was an awesome pitching performance.”

Sophomore third baseman Elijah Ickes also turned in an excellent night for Hawai’i as he went 3-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored. Ickes’ lead-off triple in the second inning was UH’s first hit of the night and provided an immediate response after CSUF got on the board with a run in the first frame.

UH catcher Hunter Faildo collected a career-high three base hits against the Titans, providing a 3-for-4 showing at the plate while guiding the UH pitching staff along to a strong showing as he sat behind the dish.

Cal State Fullerton LHP Jayden Harper (3-1) was tagged with the loss, going just 3.1 innings while allowing four runs and giving up eight hits in a rare shaky performance. Entering the game, the junior had gone 12 straight innings without surrendering a run and spun five innings of no-hit ball against the Rainbow Warriors two weeks prior as part of that streak.

Hawai’i advances into Saturday’s elimination game against No. 2 seed Cal Poly, who fell in seven innings to top-seeded UC Irvine earlier on Friday, 15-3. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. (noon) HT on Saturday with the winner advancing to face the Anteaters in the Big West title game.