Liam O’Brien delivered a strong performance for the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors, pitching eight scoreless innings and allowing only two hits in a 6-0 victory over Ball State on Sunday. The win secured a series victory for Hawai’i in their four-game set.
O’Brien struck out seven batters and did not issue any walks. He allowed just two singles, one in the first inning and another in the seventh, retiring 18 consecutive hitters during his outing. His eight innings marked a career high.
The start capped a weekend of notable pitching by the Rainbow Warriors’ rotation. Starters O’Brien, Isaiah Magdaleno, and Hekili Robello combined to pitch 23.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Together, they recorded 27 strikeouts with only four walks across their starts.
Hawai’i’s pitching staff limited Ball State to just one earned run over 36 total innings in the series, tallying 46 strikeouts and seven walks overall. The team’s earned run average dropped to 2.54 as a result. So far this season, Hawai’i has held opponents to three or fewer runs in eight of its twelve games.
Elijah Ickes gave Hawai’i an early lead with a solo home run in the first inning. The Rainbow Warriors added two more runs in the second after loading the bases; Tate Shimao drove in one with a single and another scored on a double play.
In the eighth inning, Hawai’i extended its lead with three more runs. Kody Watanabe and Shimao each contributed RBI singles, while Kamana Nahaku executed a safety squeeze bunt for another run.
Ickes finished with three hits, including his third career home run. Shimao, Watanabe, and catcher Kamaehu Sanchez each collected two hits as well. The team matched its season-high with ten hits and went four-for-ten with runners in scoring position.
Next up for the Rainbow Warriors is their Big West Conference opener against Cal Poly at Les Murakami Stadium on Friday at 6:35 p.m.
