The University of Hawaii at Hilo baseball team achieved its goal Wednesday, and it had nothing to do with wins and losses.
The Vulcans connected for 15 hits but stranded 13 runners on base in a 10-7 loss to Menlo College in Atherton, Calif.
However, the nonconference game against an NAIA foe went just as Vulcans coach Kallen Miyataki had scripted.
“Everybody played and that was our objective,” Miyataki said. “We’re getting ready for Pacific West Conference play. It is what it is. We accomplished what we set out to do.”
In falling to 13-14, UH-Hilo used six pitchers and none worked more than two innings. Chris Hubocan started and yielded two hits and no runs in two innings. Waiakea graduate Sheldon Shishido took the loss, allowing five hits and four runs with four strikeouts in two innings.
Alex Boucher homered and drove in three runs for Menlo (8-10), which erased a 7-1 deficit by scoring five runs in the sixth and four in the seventh.
UH-Hilo twice loaded the bases in the final innings but was unable to score.
Jordan Murai, Sam Kim, Sean Nearhoof, Jonathan James and Hilo graduate Ryan Fukunaga each collected two hits for the Vulcans, who have doubleheaders at Academy of Art on Friday and Saturday.
UH-Hilo 300 202 000 — 7 15 3
Menlo 001 005 40x —10 14 1