HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Baseball dropped the opener of a four-game series with Concordia University Irvine, 11-0 in seven innings, before bouncing back with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 to split Sunday's doubleheader in Pacific West Conference action at the James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium.
CUI managed to plate runs in all but one of the seven innings of the truncated Game 1 — PacWest play has a 10-run mercy rule in effect after seven innings.
In Game 2, Evan Merz answered in the opening inning with a game-tying two-run homer to set up Brandon Bollerer for the complete-game effort to earn the win.
NOTES
- Game 1: Concordia 11 - Hawai'i Hilo 0 (7 inn.)
- CUI managed to put together 14 hits while Hawai'i Hilo was held to just four.
- Game 2: Concordia 2 - Hawai'i Hilo 5 (7 inn.)
- Bollerer went all seven innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts.
- CUI took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame, but Merz responded with a two-run home run (eighth of the season) to tie the game at 2-2 after one complete inning.
- Austin Hays reached with a base hit in the bottom of the fifth, advanced to third on a passed ball and wild pitch before scoring on a successful suicide sacrifice bunt by Noah Nakaoka to bring across the game-winning run.
- Dom Agrella drew full-count lead-off walk in the sixth inning to set up Braeden Mondeau for an RBI triple. Mark Fedro followed with another successful suicide bunt attempt (going down as a base hit) to push the lead to 5-2.
- Hawai'i Hilo: 12-24 Overall (11-21 PacWest)
- Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 11
- Current Conference Standing: No. 10
- Concordia University Irvine: 23-19 Overall (21-13 PacWest)
- Irvine, California
- Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 6
- Current Conference Standing: No. 2
UP NEXT
- Monday, April 13 (3 PM + 6 PM) vs Concordia (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
- FREE Pizza and Pepsi offered to UH Hilo students.
- Saturday, April 25 (2 PM + 5 PM) at Chaminade (Honolulu, Hawai'i)
- Sunday, April 26 (NOON + 3 PM) at Chaminade (Honolulu, Hawai'i)
- Wednesday, April 29 (6:35 PM) at UH Manoa (Honolulu, Hawai'i)
- Friday, May 1 (3 PM + 6 PM) vs HPU (James "Jimmy" Correa Ballfield at Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium)
- Saturday, May 2 (NOON + 3 PM) vs HPU (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.
