HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Baseball hosted Chuo University Junko (semi-hardball) Baseball for a two-game international exhibition series at the James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium, falling 5-2 in Friday night's opener before taking a 2-1 lead through three complete innings in a rain-shortened Saturday evening contest.
Chuo broke a 1-0 game open with a three-run fourth inning on Friday and went on to secure a 5-2 win while holding the Vulcans to three hits. Hawai'i Hilo pushed across single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
On Saturday, the Vulcans erased an early 1-0 deficit with a two-run third inning to move in front, 2-1, before the contest was called off in the top of the fourth due to excessive rain — first pitch had already been delayed two hours in hopes of weathering through the constant Hilo rain.
Vulcans pitcher Moosa Nonomiya, a native of Japan, got the pitching start for Game 1 and also acted as interim head coach Garett Yukumoto's "translator" when speaking at a welcome dinner on Thursday evening.
"I haven't been back to Japan in about five years, so getting to face a Japanese team again and speak my home language on the field was really special," Nonomiya said. "Being able to interact with their players and switch back into Japanese these past few days really felt like home."
The visit marked Chuo's second friendly matchup with the Vulcans since 2017 and continued a long-standing international exchange between the programs.
Chuo arrived on the Big Island on Thursday for a welcome dinner at the Hawai'i Japanese Center where players and staff toured exhibits highlighting the history and cultural contributions of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans on the Big Island and in Hawai'i. The event included remarks from Mayor Kimo Alameda, UH Hilo Chancellor Dr. Bonnie Irwin, Vulcans director of athletics Patrick Guillen, Honorary Consul General of Japan in Hilo Art Taniguchi, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai'i 1st Vice President Mitchell Dodo and Japanese Community Association of Hawai'i President Burt Tsuchiya.
First pitch ceremonies featured Alameda and Taniguchi on Friday, followed by Dodo and Tsuchiya on Saturday.
NOTES
- Semi‑hardball in Japan uses a lighter, slightly softer composite ball that allows pitchers to create more movement, leading to a more contact‑oriented small‑ball style of play. NCAA college baseball in the United States uses the standard hard-leather baseball that produces higher exit velocities, rewards power hitting and emphasizes velocity and strength on the mound. Each team pitched with their respective baseballs.
- Stats are unofficial and do not count as the contests were exhibitions.
- Game 1: Chuo 5 - Hawai'i Hilo 2
- Game 2: Chuo 1 - Hawai'i Hilo 2 (3 inn.)
- The Vulcans plated two runs in the third inning as Hunter Gatti and Tui Ickes both reached on walks before Kaleb Wada lifted a sacrifice fly to right field. An error on a ground ball by Austin Hays later in the inning allowed Ickes to score the go-ahead run (unearned).
- Noah Darnell started for Hawai'i Hilo and went 2.0 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit with two strikeouts and one walk.
- Paxton Fenberg threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, surrendering one hit with two ground-ball outs and a flyout.
- Each team finished with two hits and all three runs in the game were unearned.
- Hawai'i Hilo: 3-7 Overall (2-4 PacWest)
- Chuo University
- Tokyo, Japan
- Chuo University's semi‑hardball program is one of Japan's most successful — with 72 league titles, 16 Kanto Tournament wins and 14 national championships since its founding in 1947.
- Prior to the weekend games, Chuo ran from the UH Hilo dorms to Francis Wong Stadium for Friday morning practice and wiped down the seating area for attending fans.
UP NEXT
- Wednesday, March 4 (3 PM + 6 PM) vs Biola (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
- Thursday, March 5 (3 PM + 6 PM) vs Biola (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
- Monday, March 9 (3 PM + 6 PM) vs Vanguard (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
- Tuesday, March 10 (3 PM + 6 PM) vs Vanguard (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
PACWEST PRESEASON POLL
Hawai'i Hilo was voted No. 11 in the Pacific West Conference Preseason Coaches Poll after finishing the 2025 regular season at No. 11 in the conference standings. The four-team 2026 PacWest Championships postseason tournament will be hosted by Westmont on May 6-8 in Santa Barbara, California.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Season and individual tickets for the Vulcans' 27 home games at the James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium are available for purchase at HiloAthletics.com/tickets. . Baseball season tickets are $115 for adults and $60 for seniors (65+) and middle/high school students.
BUY LIVESTREAM PACKAGE
Video livestreaming is available for all home baseball events this season through the PacWest Network, powered by Hudl TV. More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/livestream. . Single-game passes are $15, doubleheader day passes are $26.25 and the season package (27 games) is $303.75.
