HILO, Hawai'i – Moosa Nonomiya took a no-hit bid through five innings as Hawai'i Hilo Baseball claimed its first victory of the season in a 15-6 win over Wayne State College on Saturday afternoon as part of a five-game season-opening series at the James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium.

The Vulcans opened the 2026 campaign under first-year head coach Garett Yukumoto on Friday afternoon and fell twice in a doubleheader to the visiting team from Nebraska by scores of 3-1 and 9-5 (7 innings).

Hawai'i Hilo bounced back big in Saturday's early-afternoon affair by putting up 11 runs in the bottom of the first inning on seven hits including two home runs. Nonomiya either put down or walked (six total) the first 20 batters faced until allowing a base hit by WSC's Max Heard to break up the no-no.

GAME NOTES

• Game 1 (Feb. 6): Wayne State 3 - Hawai'i Hilo 1
  • Noah Darnell got the opening-game start and went a solid 7.0 innings, giving up just one walk and two runs (one unearned) on six hits and three strikeouts.
  • Vulcans committed three defensive errors while the Wildcats had none. Two of Hawai'i Hilo's errors came in the seventh inning, leading to two runs scored.
  • Freshman Ivor Brooks brought in the Vulcans first run of the season (lone of the game) with a sacrifice bunt to score Mark Fedro from third base (led off the inning with a base hit) on a squeeze attempt that the pitcher opted to just throw to first base for the easy out.
• Game 2 (Feb. 6): Wayne State 9 - Hawai'i Hilo 5 (7 inn.)
  • The Vulcans again committed three defensive errors leading to six unearned runs scored by the Wildcats — highlighted by a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the fifth.
  • Wayne State took an early 2-0 lead but redshirt-freshman Kolby Gushiken later tied the score with an RBI double. Colby Rafail brought in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly. The Wildcats answered back, scoring on a defensive miscue, but Fedro hit a two-RBI double to put the Vulcans back ahead at 5-3.
  • Brandon Bollerer got the start for the Vulcans, going 4.1 innings with two earned runs allowed. Michael Bonenfant was the losing pitcher on record in allowing four unearned runs.
• Game 3 (Feb. 7): Wayne State 6 - Hawai'i Hilo 15
  • Hawai'i Hilo again committed three defensive errors but overcame it with 15 earned runs scored on 15 total hits.
  • Fedro and Kawana Soares homered in the bottom of the first inning along with Hunter Gatti and Braeden Mondeau having multi-RBI hits to put up 11 runs in the frame.
• Game 4 (Feb. 7): Wayne State 8 - Hawai'i Hilo 4 (7 inn.)
  • Hawai'i Hilo committed just two defensive errors leading to just one unearned run.
  • Evan Merz blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning to bring the Vulcans back into the ballgame at a 7-4 deficit.
• Top hitting numbers through the first four games: Merz (.571: 8 hits, 5 RBI), Fedro (.500: 4 hits, 5 RBI), Nico Low (.500).
• Nico Low has recorded 10 putouts (1.000) in the outfield.
• Hawai'i Hilo: 1-3 Overall (0-0 PacWest)
  • Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 11
• Wayne State: 3-1 Overall
  • Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
  • Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 4
  • Wayne, Nebraska
• This five-game series was originally scheduled for a single game on Friday followed by doubleheaders both Saturday and Sunday, but impending inclement weather caused a reshuffling of the opening-weekend slate.

UP NEXT

• Sunday, Feb. 8 (12:30 PM) vs Wayne State College (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
• Friday, Feb. 13 (9 AM / 11 AM PT) vs Menlo (Atherton, California)
• Friday, Feb. 13 (NOON / 2 PM PT) vs Menlo (Atherton, California)
• Saturday, Feb. 14 (9 AM / 11 AM PT) vs Menlo (Atherton, California)
• Saturday, Feb. 14 (NOON / 2 PM PT) vs Menlo (Atherton, California)
• Wednesday, Feb. 18 (10 AM / NOON PT) vs Jessup (Lincoln, California)
• Wednesday, Feb. 18 (1:30 PM / 3:30 PM PT) vs Jessup (Lincoln, California)
• Thursday, Feb. 19 (10 AM / NOON PT) vs Jessup (Lincoln, California)
• Thursday, Feb. 19 (1:30 PM / 3:30 PM PT) vs Jessup (Lincoln, California)
• Friday, Feb. 27 (6 PM) vs Chuo (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
• Saturday, Feb. 28 (5 PM) vs Chuo (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. The Vulcans finished 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 matches at the James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium are available for purchase at HiloAthletics.com/tickets. Season tickets are $115 ($60 for seniors 65+ and middle/high school students).

BUY LIVESTREAM PACKAGE

Video livestreaming will be available for all home events this season through the PacWest Network, powered by Hudl TV. More information is available at HiloAthletics.com/livestream. Single-game passes for baseball are offered at $15, doubleheader day passes at $26.25 and a season-package (27 games) price of $303.75.