HONOLULU, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Baseball dropped a mid-week non-conference contest to Division-I University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 11-3, on Wednesday night at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Vulcans managed 11 hits but were unable to overcome two big innings by the Rainbow Warriors. UH Manoa managed to plate five runs in the second on just two hits aided by three walks and a hit batter before adding four more in the fourth to pull away for good.
Braeden Mondeau homered to right center in the sixth with Kolby Gushiken and Kawana Soares each tallying three hits at the plate.
Hawai'i Hilo used eight pitchers on the night as 44 total players between both teams logged an appearance in the stat sheet.
NOTES
- Hawai'i Hilo 3 - UH Manoa 11
- Aaron Rapoza gave the Vulcans an early lead with an RBI single through the left side in the top of the second inning.
- After UH Manoa managed to jump ahead with five runs in the bottom half of the second, Mondeau scored Soares with a sacrifice fly in the top of the third.
- Rainbow Warriors added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- Mondeau provided the last Vulcans run with a solo homer in the top of the sixth.
- Gushiken finished 3 for 4 with a walk. Soares went 3 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Ivor Brooks finished 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored.
- No defensive errors were charged to either team. The Vulcans came up with a handful of slick defensive plays on the all-turf surface. Rapoza and Brooks made infield diving stops while Gushiken had a diving snag in right field to end the fourth inning.
- Vulcans have now dropped 10 consecutive losses to the Rainbow Warriors with Hawai'i Hilo's last win a 1-0 victory on Feb. 13, 2016.
- Tui Ickes' younger brother, Elijah, is a member of the UH Manoa Baseball team. Their mother threw out the pregame ceremonial first pitch alongside her two sons.
- Hawai'i Hilo: 16-27 Overall (15-23 PacWest)
- Preseason Coaches Poll: No. 11
- Current Conference Standing: No. 10
- UH Manoa: 21-19 Overall (10-11 Big West)
- Honolulu, Hawai'i
- NCAA Division I
- Preseason Coaches Poll: No.T4
- Current Conference Standing: No. 5
- Game was televised statewide on Spectrum Sports.
UP NEXT
- 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)
- Senior Day (11): David Celoski, Joshua Fuentes, Sebastian Garcia, Brayden Hiraki, Tui Ickes, Orlando Leon Jr., Evan Merz, Devin Meyer, Braeden Mondeau, Evan Odin, Colby Rafail
PACWEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
The four-team 2026 PacWest Championships postseason tournament will be hosted by Westmont on May 6-8 in Santa Barbara, California. Clinched: Point Loma (regular season champion), Concordia. In Contention: HPU, Fresno Pacific, Jessup, Azusa Pacific, Westmont, Biola. Eliminated: Hawai'i Hilo, Menlo, Vanguard, Chaminade. 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.
