Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – The way the University of Hawaii at Hilo baseball season has started has raised some eyebrows as a 4-3, 12-4 doubleheader sweep of the University of Kansas have the Vulcans with a 3-3 record.

"Things happened that set us back but it only brought us back closer as a team," UHH senior second baseman Michael Higa said. "We learned to lean on and trust each other even more. The trust that was formed outside of the field relayed onto the field."

"Everybody knows their role on the team and supported and worked with each other a lot harder."

In game one, Vulcan starter Kekoa Lee got off to a rocky start when his first 10 pitches didn't find the strike zone. The Jayhawks (1-2) only managed to score one run in that inning on a sacrifice fly.

Once Lee found the strike zone, he kept the Jayhawks off balance for five innings giving up one more run on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.

His teammates gave the freshman lefty some cushion in the second inning with consecutive doubles by Peter Rodgers, Dayne Ogawa, Keoni Manago and Ronel Trias for a 3-1 lead.

The Jayhawks came back with runs in the fifth and sixth to tie the game.

A bad throw in the eighth gave the Vulcans the win. With Manago on second, KU pitcher Paul Smyth scrambled to field Shane Kessel's dribbler to the mound. Hustling to get Kessel for the inning ending out, Smyth's throw went off of Kessel's helmet and into right field. Manago beat the throw home to end the game.

Manago collected three for the Vulcans 11 hits while Michael Higa picked up a pair of hits.

Nick Faunce had two of the Jayhawks five hits.

Lee also got help in the mound from Jeffrey Germain and Dustin Gilmore. Germain took over in the sixth and gave up a run on a hit but struck out one. Gilmore (1-0) picked up the win with at two-inning hitless performance with one strikeout.

In game two, the Vulcans came away with a seven-run fifth inning to give the Vulcans a commanding 8-2 lead. The added another three runs in the sixth and another in the seventh.

Again, the combination of a 12-hit attack and solid pitching delivered a victory.

On the mound, Joe Davis pitched seven strong innings giving four runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and only three walks. Christian Stephenson and Tyler Safford each pitched an inning of no-hit relief with Stephenson picking up a strikeout and Safford picking up a pair of Ks.

Ronel Trias was 3 for 4 with three RBI. Thomas Brown, Higa and Ogawa paired hits.

Erik Morrison had two of the Jayhawks seven hits.