Saturday, April 5
Manoa, Hawaii
9:35 p.m.
Long Beach State University
3
at
2
Hawai'i
Photo by: Edvin Herrera, @EnriqueHPhotos
Dirtbags Win Pitching Battle 3-2 Against Hawai'i
4/6/2025 1:33:00 AM | Baseball
Albert Roblez retired the first 12 batters he faced to pick up the win in relief
HONOLULU—Long Beach State scored three runs in the top of the third as the Dirtbags defeated the University of Hawai'i 3-2 in a pitcher's duel Saturday night at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Dirtbags threatened in the top of the second. With one out, Nathan Cadena hit a blooper into short right field. UH's second baseman Shunsuke Sakaino made an over-the-head catch on the Dirtbags' hit-and-run, doubling off Reid Montgomery for a double play.
Jared Quandt broke the seal for the Rainbow Warriors with a two-out home run in the bottom of the second. Draven Nushida followed with a single to left. Jake Fields walked Kendren Kinzie. With runners on first and second, UH went to pinch-hitter Jack Salmon, who flew out to the warning track in center to Alex Champagne.
Hawai'i starter Liam O'Brien hit Efren Ortega to begin the third. O'Brien walked Kyle Ashworth. Champagne also walked, loading the bases. Armando Briseno grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice, which allowed Ortega to tie the game. With runners on the corners, Connor Charpiot came to bat. O'Brien's first pitch hit the Long Beach State cleanup hitter to load the bases for a second time. With the count 1-0 to Matt Toomey,
Zacary Tenn relieved O'Brien, running the count to 3-2 before walking in Ashworth to give the Dirtbags a 2-1 lead. Montgomery's sac fly scored Brisenio to increase the lead to two. Easton Elliot grounded out to second to end the inning.
With two outs, Matthew Miura singled through right side. With the count 1-1, the Rainbow Warriors put the hit-and-run on with Ben Zeigler-Namoa, who singled to right to plate Miura. Fields attempted to pick Zeilger-Namoa off first, but his throw went into foul territory, allowing the UH runner to reach third. Kamana Nahaku flew out to center as LBSU maintained the lead.
Ortega singled down the left field line with one out. Tenn walked Ashworth before Champagne grounded out to second as both runners moved up a base. Briseno, LBSU's No. 3 hitter, was intentionally walked to load the bases. Charpiot popped out to short for the third out.
Albert Roblez took over from Fields to begin the Hawai'i fourth. He retired the first 12 batters he faced. He struck out the side in the fifth and the seventh, raising his season-best to eight.
Roblez walked pinch-hitter Itsuki Takemoto to begin the bottom of the eighth. Jarret Nielsen ran for Takemoto as Sakiano came to the plate. The Rainbow Warriors' leadoff hitter fouled off the first Roblez pitch, attempting to lay down a sac bunt. He flew out to left on the second pitch he faced.
Jordan Donahue faked a bunt on a 1-1 Roblez fastball and hit a grounder to Briseno at short. He threw to first to get the second out as Nielsen advanced to second. Miura hit a grounder up the middle. Eliot, the second baseman, fielded the ball and threw onto first for the apparent third out. Using instant replay, the umpires reviewed the call and confirmed the call to end the inning.
Nahaku singled through the left side with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Quandt worked the count to 3-2. The seven-pitch at-bat resulted in a walk. The Dirtbags went to the bullpen, calling in Hawai'i native Ka'imi Kahalekai to face Nushida. The 6-8 freshman ran the count to 3-2 against Nushida before striking him out with a breaking ball. Pinch-hitter Aidan Kuni hit into a 4-6 fielder's choice to end the game.
The trio of Long Beach State pitchers allowed five, with nine strikeouts. Roblez threw a season-high 5.1 innings and a season-high 94 pitches, 58 for strikes. The five Hawai'i pitchers combined on a three-hitter and struck out 11 but walked eight and hit three batters.
Long Beach State (11-17, 5-9 Big West) and Hawai'i (22-7, 9-5 Big West) conclude the series Sunday afternoon beginning at 4:05 p.m. PDT/1:05 p.m. HT.
The Dirtbags threatened in the top of the second. With one out, Nathan Cadena hit a blooper into short right field. UH's second baseman Shunsuke Sakaino made an over-the-head catch on the Dirtbags' hit-and-run, doubling off Reid Montgomery for a double play.
Jared Quandt broke the seal for the Rainbow Warriors with a two-out home run in the bottom of the second. Draven Nushida followed with a single to left. Jake Fields walked Kendren Kinzie. With runners on first and second, UH went to pinch-hitter Jack Salmon, who flew out to the warning track in center to Alex Champagne.
Hawai'i starter Liam O'Brien hit Efren Ortega to begin the third. O'Brien walked Kyle Ashworth. Champagne also walked, loading the bases. Armando Briseno grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice, which allowed Ortega to tie the game. With runners on the corners, Connor Charpiot came to bat. O'Brien's first pitch hit the Long Beach State cleanup hitter to load the bases for a second time. With the count 1-0 to Matt Toomey,
Zacary Tenn relieved O'Brien, running the count to 3-2 before walking in Ashworth to give the Dirtbags a 2-1 lead. Montgomery's sac fly scored Brisenio to increase the lead to two. Easton Elliot grounded out to second to end the inning.
With two outs, Matthew Miura singled through right side. With the count 1-1, the Rainbow Warriors put the hit-and-run on with Ben Zeigler-Namoa, who singled to right to plate Miura. Fields attempted to pick Zeilger-Namoa off first, but his throw went into foul territory, allowing the UH runner to reach third. Kamana Nahaku flew out to center as LBSU maintained the lead.
Ortega singled down the left field line with one out. Tenn walked Ashworth before Champagne grounded out to second as both runners moved up a base. Briseno, LBSU's No. 3 hitter, was intentionally walked to load the bases. Charpiot popped out to short for the third out.
Albert Roblez took over from Fields to begin the Hawai'i fourth. He retired the first 12 batters he faced. He struck out the side in the fifth and the seventh, raising his season-best to eight.
Roblez walked pinch-hitter Itsuki Takemoto to begin the bottom of the eighth. Jarret Nielsen ran for Takemoto as Sakiano came to the plate. The Rainbow Warriors' leadoff hitter fouled off the first Roblez pitch, attempting to lay down a sac bunt. He flew out to left on the second pitch he faced.
Jordan Donahue faked a bunt on a 1-1 Roblez fastball and hit a grounder to Briseno at short. He threw to first to get the second out as Nielsen advanced to second. Miura hit a grounder up the middle. Eliot, the second baseman, fielded the ball and threw onto first for the apparent third out. Using instant replay, the umpires reviewed the call and confirmed the call to end the inning.
Nahaku singled through the left side with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Quandt worked the count to 3-2. The seven-pitch at-bat resulted in a walk. The Dirtbags went to the bullpen, calling in Hawai'i native Ka'imi Kahalekai to face Nushida. The 6-8 freshman ran the count to 3-2 against Nushida before striking him out with a breaking ball. Pinch-hitter Aidan Kuni hit into a 4-6 fielder's choice to end the game.
The trio of Long Beach State pitchers allowed five, with nine strikeouts. Roblez threw a season-high 5.1 innings and a season-high 94 pitches, 58 for strikes. The five Hawai'i pitchers combined on a three-hitter and struck out 11 but walked eight and hit three batters.
Long Beach State (11-17, 5-9 Big West) and Hawai'i (22-7, 9-5 Big West) conclude the series Sunday afternoon beginning at 4:05 p.m. PDT/1:05 p.m. HT.
~#LongBeachBuilt~
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