UC Irvine shuts down Hawaii to take series

The Hawaii baseball team lost a coach, game and series in falling to UC Irvine 6-1 today at Anteater Park in Orange County, Calif.

In his best performance of the season, UCI left-hander Nick Pinto allowed three hits in the first 7 2/3 innings to improve to 5-2. Pinto retired the first 17 Rainbow Warriors in order before yielding a two-out hit to Nainoa Cardinez in the sixth. Pinto struck out 11 and walked none.

Jacob King pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for hs seventh save.

The ‘Bows best opportunity was in the eighth when Stone Miyao’s one-out single brought home Kyson Donahue and advanced Zach Storbakken. Cardinez then grounded out to third as Miyao went to second and Storbakken stayed put at third base. During an animated debate with the umpires after the play, UH coach Rich Hill, who was coaching third, raised his hands in an apparent attempt to call an offensive timeout. Instead, Hill was ejected.

Pinto then was pulled to loud applause, and King struck out pinch hitter Matthew Miura to end the threat.

The Anteaters won the final two of this three-game series to improve to 30-14 overall and 12-9. The ’Bows fell to 22-18 and 11-10, and finished 3-5 on this 14-day road trip.