HILO, Hawai'i – This is going to be another fun rivalry to come. In the first baseball matchup in more than 40 years, Arthur Soto provided the walk-off hit in the 11th inning as Hawai'i Hilo prevailed over Chaminade, 4-3, Friday night in non-conference play at Francis Wong Stadium as part of the Big Island Baseball Bash.
Soto, who also got the scoring going with a solo homer in the first inning, faced a no-out bases-loaded situation with the score tied, 3-3, in the bottom of the 11th. The third baseman took the first-pitch offering and jammed it up through the middle to score Bradyn Yoshida for the walk-off victory.
Christian Wood was the winning pitcher on record (1-0), coming in for 2.2 hitless innings and dealing four strikeouts to help preserve the tied score. He entered with one out and two runners on in the top of the ninth and delivered consecutive outs to get out of the jam.
Redshirt-freshman Devin Hayashi made his first appearance on the mound for the Vulcans, putting up a gritty 4.2 scoreless-inning performance with five strikeouts.
After Hawai'i Hilo went up 2-0 on the scoreboard, Chaminade managed to answer by opening the fourth inning with consecutive hits to plate a run. Starter Nick Agacki (3.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K) induced back-to-back outs but surrendered a full-count walk and moved runners over on a balk and a wild pitch to even the score. Jackson Peper singled up the middle to bring across the Silverswords' go-ahead score.
The Vulcans were running out of outs down the stretch before Vance Oshiro tied the game in the bottom of the eighth with a sacrifice fly to score Mason Cook, who got on with a lead-off four-pitch walk.
2024 marks the return of Chaminade Baseball after briefly playing one season in the NAIA in 1980. Earlier in the day in the Big Island Baseball Bash, the Silverswords matched up with HPU for the first time this season and also went to extra innings with Chaminade claiming the win in the 12th inning.
UP NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo moved to 4-3 overall (0-0 Pacific West Conference) while Chaminade moved to a 2-4 record (0-0 PacWest).
The Vulcans continue the Big Island Baseball Bash taking on HPU in a non-conference matchup Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. before concluding with Saint Martin's on Sunday starting at noon.
Hawai'i Hilo and Chaminade will match up eight more times this season, starting with a four-game non-conference series next weekend (Feb. 17-18) on O'ahu at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE WEST
In the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association West Region Preseason Poll released Jan. 22, Hawai'i Hilo came in at No. 10 on the list.
Other PacWest Conference teams to make the top 10 were Point Loma (No. 3), Azusa Pacific (No. 4) and Fresno Pacific (No. 7). Cal State San Bernardino was voted at the top.
In the PacWest Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the Vulcans were voted to finish seventh.
SEASON TICKETS
Single-game and season tickets are now available to be purchased online through Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans Athletics' recently-launched online ticket platform in partnership with AudienceView Campus.
The 2024 slate features 25 home contests at Francis Wong Stadium with a package price of $120 for adults and $60 for seniors (ages 65-plus) and middle/high school students.
Both can be accessed at HiloAthletics.com/tickets.
VIDEO STREAM PACKAGES
The Hawai'i Hilo Baseball team will have 26 home games available to be viewed online in partnership with Out of the Sea Media Arts Inc.
Single-game viewing will be priced at $10 with a season-package offering of $195.
More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/LiveStream.
