A closely contested game at Les Murakami Stadium ended in a 1-0 loss for the Hawai’i baseball team against Ball State on Saturday night. The matchup, played before a sold-out crowd, was marked by strong performances from both pitching staffs.
Ball State pitcher Brendan Garza delivered a complete-game shutout, giving up only two hits over nine innings and striking out five batters. The game’s lone run came in the second inning when Ryan Muizelaar singled to right field, driving in a run for the Cardinals.
For Hawai’i, Brody Martin-Grudzielanek started on the mound and recorded five strikeouts over 3.2 innings. Reliever Grant Garman contributed three scoreless innings and managed to get out of a bases-loaded situation in the fifth inning. Tsubasa Tomii added two more strikeouts in his appearance, and John Alkire II closed with a perfect ninth inning.
Hawai’i’s pitching staff has shown consistency throughout the series. Over three games, they have pitched 27 innings, struck out 38 Ball State hitters, and allowed just one earned run. The team’s season ERA now stands at 2.76 with 116 strikeouts and only 33 walks across 101 innings.
The Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to play again Sunday at 1:05 p.m., aiming to secure their second series win of the season.
