HILO, Hawai'i – In the final league games of the season, Hawai'i Hilo Baseball split a doubleheader with HPU in a 4-1 defeat and a 4-1 victory Friday afternoon in Pacific West Conference play.

The Vulcans still have four contests to go in 2024 but have now wrapped up their PacWest season at an 11-21 record for a No. 8 placement in the standings.

NEW STRIKEOUTS LEADER

Fifth-year senior Aaron Davies made his 36th career start on the rubber in his 49th overall pitching appearance and matched a career-high nine strikeouts while etching his name into the Hawai'i Hilo record books. The left-handed pitcher opened the top of the second inning with his second strikeout of the game, bringing his season total to 69 to set a new Vulcans single-season record in the Division II era (2009–present).

Davies' season total now sits at 76, surpassing the previous record of 68 set by Jordan Kurokawa nearly 10 years ago in 2015.

"I'm in good company — guys like Jordan Kurokawa and Dylan Spain. It's good to be in good company with my old teammates too," Davies said. "It's really rewarding knowing I can always look back at it and have good fond memories of Hilo."

Earlier this month, Davies also became the Vulcans' Division-II era career leader in strikeouts after surpassing Kekoa Lee's (08-11) mark of 157. His career total is now at 174.

GAME 1: HPU 4 - HAWAI'I HILO 1

• HPU struck in the first inning with a lead-off infield single. An ensuing sacrifice bunt attempt resulted in a slight off-line throw to first base for an error, allowing the Sharks to follow up with another sac bunt to further move runners over before scoring Nicholas Jio on a groundout to second base for an unearned run.
• The Sharks added another run in the third after managing to cluster together three base hits in the inning.
• Over the next 12 outs through the following four innings, Davies sat down six of them on strike three.
• Hawai'i Hilo got on the scoreboard in the sixth with back-to-back doubles darted down each side of the end lines for an RBI from Alec Yamauchi.
• Chase Taylor doubled in the eighth inning to bring in a pair of runners who had both reached base on balls.
• HPU brought in Ryan Inouye to close out the game in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

GAME 2: HPU 1 - HAWAI'I HILO 4 (7 INNINGS)

• The Vulcans flipped the score and script for Game 2, getting started in the first inning with a lead-off single from Vance Oshiro followed by an RBI base knock from Yamauchi. Hawai'i Hilo added another run in the second with a sacrifice fly from Cody Min.
• HPU got a run back in the third aided by two walks and a throwing error to load the bases. The Sharks managed a run while the Vulcans turned a 4-6-3-2 triple play to end the inning.
• Bradyn Yoshida went 3 for 3 in the nightcap and helped score the Vulcans final two runs — first with a single in the fourth inning followed by two successful stolen bases to set up Min's second RBI of the evening. In the sixth, Yoshida chopped a triple to deep left-center field before doing more damage on the basepaths to draw an errant pick-off attempt from the catcher to bring the game to the final 4-1 score.
• Hawai'i Hilo used five different pitchers to get the job done as Luke Dickson was tagged with the win after 2.0 innings of scoreless relief work. John Navarro came in the close out the game for his third save of the season.
• Oshiro batted 2 for 3 at the plate while mopping up seven assists and three putouts at second base.

UP NEXT

Hawai'i Hilo moved to 18-28 overall (11-21 PacWest) while HPU moved to a 15-15 conference record (24-19 overall).

The two teams will meet three more times this weekend with another doubleheader Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. followed by the final home game Sunday at 2 p.m.

Sunday's game will also be Senior Day with 18 seniors to be celebrated — Nick Agacki, Boaz Ayers, Gabe Childs, Aaron Davies, Cody Hirata, Ty Honda, Kein Iwata, Trent Jackson, Jake Liberta, Kiyo Perry, JP Tilley, Blake Tweedt, Bryce Tweedt, Christian Wood, Eamon Velarde, Alec Yamauchi, James Yamasaki and Bradyn Yoshida.

The Vulcans will then close out on O'ahu with another matchup with UH Manoa, April 30, at Les Murakami Stadium. University of Hawai'i Alumni Relations will be hosting "Pa'ina at The Les" on The Aloha Deck along the third base line. 

Event registration is available at HiloAthletics.com/paina. For more information, email contact@uhalumni.org.

PACWEST HAWAI'I CHALLENGE

In an effort to elevate Hawai'i-based rivalries, the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge has awarded the top school in athletics competition among the state's Division II institutions going back to the late 1970s.

Comprising 10 sports that all three schools participate in, points are awarded from head-to-head Pacific West Conference matchups as well as final placements at conference-ending championship events. The team with the highest total gets three points while the second highest gets two and the third-place finisher receives one.

It'll be a race to the end with baseball and softball to determine this year's winner between Hawai'i Hilo and HPU.

More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/PacWestHawaii.