Rainbow Warriors rally to overcome Oregon


MANOA — It was a long, nearly four-hour game with breezy winds and scattered showers, but it was worth the wait as Hawaii worked its Manoa magic to rally for seven runs late in the game to overome Oregon, 7-6, Thursday evening at the Les Murakami Stadium.

Redshirt-sophomore Daylen Calicdan (KS-Hawaii '16) roped one down the left field line for a bases clearing double to put the Rainbow Warriors up ahead in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Colin Ashworth downed the Ducks in order in the subsequent frame to put the game away and extend Hawaii's win streak to six. Ashworth was the fourth Rainbow Warriors pitcher, completing two scoreless innings with zero hits given up.

Freshman Li'i Pontes (Kamehameha '18) got the start on the mound and went 4-2/3 innings with six strikeouts but gave up eight hits and four runs. Fellow true frosh Cade Halemanu (Pearl City '18) was first out of the bullpen but gave up an RBI-single and a walk before being lifted for senior Kash Koltermann, who gave up two runs and five hits in 2-1/3 innings of work.

On the other side, the Ducks went through six different pitchers, including an appearance by Kamehameha '17 grad Hunter Breault, who went 2/3 of an inning with a strikeout but gave up two runs.

Calicdan also got the rally started with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth and later scored on Maaki Yamazaki's single through the left side.

Ethan Lopez then brought Yamazaki home on an RBI-double to make it a 4-2 ballgame. Oregon answered back and got those two runs back, but Lopez also responded with a two-RBI single to again make it a two-run game heading into the eighth inning.

With one out, Tyler Murray reached base on balls and pinch hitter Brennen Hancock singled followed by Scotty Scott's single to load the bases. Calicdan, the 2016 All-Hawaii Division II Player of the Year, then clutched up to help Hawaii to its eighth win of the season.

The Rainbow Warriors continue with three more games against Oregon running Friday through Sunday.