Draven Nushida delivered in the clutch, ripping a walk-off single to right with two outs in the ninth to lift Hawai’i to a thrilling 9-8 comeback win over Marshall on opening night at Les Murakami Stadium.
The victory extended UH’s home winning streak to 12 games—the longest active streak in the nation—and marked its first season-opening win since 2021.
Trailing 8-6 in the ninth, the ‘Bows rallied as Ben Zeigler-Namoa and Elijah Ickes sparked the inning with hits. Xaige Lancaster drove in one with an infield single before a passed ball tied it up. With two outs and runners on the corners, Nushida, a Kailua native making his Rainbow Warrior debut, laced the first pitch he saw over the right fielder’s head, igniting a celebration.
Marshall built an early 5-0 lead, highlighted by back-to-back homers from Tyler Kamerer and Ethan Murdoch. The ‘Bows chipped away, with RBI hits from Itsuki Takemoto, Aidan Kuni, and Lancaster, before Shunsuke Sakaino’s two-run double and a Matthew Miura RBI single made it 7-6.
Ickes led UH with a 4-for-5 night, while Lancaster went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his return from injury. Freddy Rodriguez and Isaiah Magdaleno anchored the bullpen, combining for 5.2 strong innings.
The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader at 1:05 p.m.
Photos: Krista Peterson
