Hawaii Baseball Team Dominates Hawaii Hilo in Midweek Rout

The Hawaii baseball team put on a show on Tuesday night, utilizing all 17 of its position players in a dominant 13-1 victory over Hawaii Hilo. Head coach Rich Hill took full advantage of the opportunity to empty his bench, giving players like Itsuki Takemoto a chance to shine.

Takemoto, a freshman from Japan, made his debut as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and although he struck out in his first at-bat, he redeemed himself with a single in the eighth inning. Hill praised Takemoto’s potential at the plate, comparing him to MLB star Shohei Ohtani and expressing his desire to give him more opportunities to showcase his skills.

The Rainbow Warriors’ lineup regulars also had a strong showing, with Kyson Donahue, Austin Machado, and Jake Tsukada putting up impressive numbers at the plate. Sean Rimmer added to the offensive onslaught with his team-leading third home run of the season among non-regular players.

On the pitching side, Cory Ronan got the start and Hunter Gotschall picked up the win after two solid innings of work. The bullpen came through with six more relievers each pitching an inning to secure the three-hitter.

With the win, Hawaii improved to 4-0 against Division II competition this season and is closing in on its first 30-win season since 2012. The team’s strong performance has them in contention for NCAA at-large consideration as they head into a crucial three-game series against Big West co-leader Cal State Northridge.

As the Rainbow Warriors continue their quest for postseason success, the future looks bright with players like Takemoto stepping up and making an impact on the field.