Photo by: University of Hawai'i
Highlanders Drop Second Straight in Hawai'i
5/3/2026 12:42:00 AM | Baseball
HONOLULU, O'ahu – The Highlanders and the Rainbow Warriors played game two of a three game set tonight from Les Murakami Stadium. Trying to bounce back from last night's 1-0 loss, UC Riverside looked to Matthew O'Brien to help stop its current four game skid. It didn't happen tonight.
O'Brien entered the game with a 3-4 record and in his last start the lefty went five innings giving up three runs to Cal State Bakersfield. Tonight he went four innings and surrendered four runs.
The Highlanders got on the board first on a Jarren Sanderson RBI single scoring Lucas Bonham. For Sanderson it was his 33rd RBI on the year. After that the Rainbow Warrior starter, Hekili Robello retired the next nine batters. That was snapped in the top of the fifth when Robert Pitts singled, but he was stranded.
Hawai'i tied the game in the bottom of the first when Mana LauKong singled home Kamana Nahaku. They took the lead on a home run in the bottom of the third. The Rainbow Warriors pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fifth when LauKong singled home two more runs making it 4-1.
The Rainbow Warriors took control of the game in the bottom of the seventh as they scored five runs and took a 9-1 lead. LauKong drove in his fourth run of the game, but the big hit came from Taylor Takata on a three RBI double. Â
The Highlanders look to take game three tomorrow with first pitch at 4:05pm PST.
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O'Brien entered the game with a 3-4 record and in his last start the lefty went five innings giving up three runs to Cal State Bakersfield. Tonight he went four innings and surrendered four runs.
The Highlanders got on the board first on a Jarren Sanderson RBI single scoring Lucas Bonham. For Sanderson it was his 33rd RBI on the year. After that the Rainbow Warrior starter, Hekili Robello retired the next nine batters. That was snapped in the top of the fifth when Robert Pitts singled, but he was stranded.
Hawai'i tied the game in the bottom of the first when Mana LauKong singled home Kamana Nahaku. They took the lead on a home run in the bottom of the third. The Rainbow Warriors pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fifth when LauKong singled home two more runs making it 4-1.
The Rainbow Warriors took control of the game in the bottom of the seventh as they scored five runs and took a 9-1 lead. LauKong drove in his fourth run of the game, but the big hit came from Taylor Takata on a three RBI double. Â
The Highlanders look to take game three tomorrow with first pitch at 4:05pm PST.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hekili Robello (8-3)
L: O'Brien, Matthew (3-5)

Batting:
RBI: Sanderson, Jarren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bonham, Lucas 1
CS: Pitts, Robert 1

Batting:
2B: Taylor Takata 1
HR: Tate Shimao 1
RBI: Tate Shimao 1 ; Mana Lau Kong 4 ; Josh Martin 1 ; Taylor Takata 3
SF: Mana Lau Kong 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kamana Nahaku 2 ; Tate Shimao 3 ; Ben Zeigler-Namoa 1 ; Jake Redding 1 ; Gabe Wright 1 ; Josh Martin 1
SB: Kamana Nahaku 1 ; Ben Zeigler-Namoa 1 ; Noah Rodriguez 1
CS: Taylor Takata 1
HBP: Gabe Wright 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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