Hawai’i Baseball Collects 12 Hits & Ben Zeigler-Namoa Hits Fourth Home Run of the Season, but ‘Bows Upset Bid Denied by No. 1 UCLA in Los Angeles

The University of Hawai’i baseball team put up a valiant effort against the nation’s top-ranked squad but ultimately fell short in a high-scoring nonconference matchup. Despite collecting 12 hits and receiving a two-run home run from Ben Zeigler-Namoa—the fourth of his season—the Rainbow Warriors were defeated by the No. 1 UCLA Bruins, 12-7, on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.

Hawai’i struck first in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on a defensive miscue and a wild pitch to score an unearned run via a Ben Zeigler-Namoa sacrifice fly. However, UCLA responded immediately in the bottom of the frame with a five-run surge. Dean West opened the scoring for the Bruins with a leadoff home run to right field, followed by Will Gasparino’s grand slam to left, giving UCLA a 5-1 lead.

The Rainbow Warriors refused to back down. In the third inning, Hawai’i sparked a three-run rally. Zeigler-Namoa delivered a two-run homer—his fourth of the season—followed by a string of three straight two-out hits that trimmed the deficit to one run at 5-4.

UCLA regained control with a explosive bottom of the third. Will Gasparino added his second home run of the night, a two-run shot, while Roch Cholowsky contributed an RBI double as part of a five-run inning that extended the lead to 10-4.

Despite the deficit, Hawai’i continued to fight. The team added three more runs over the next few innings, but UCLA’s bullpen shut the door in the late stages. Chris Grothues, Cal Randall, Zach Strickland, and Justin Lee combined for 3.2 scoreless innings to preserve the victory.

Will Gasparino was the standout performer for UCLA, powering the offense with two home runs, five RBIs, and raising his season total to 17—leading the team. His performance marked his fourth multi-homer game of the year. Ian May earned the win for UCLA, striking out two over 2.0 steady innings of relief.

For Hawai’i, Zeigler-Namoa finished with two hits, including the home run, and two RBIs. The ‘Bows collected 12 hits overall but were hampered by defensive lapses and struggled to produce timely hits with runners in scoring position beyond their early bursts.

The loss drops Hawai’i to 20-16 on the season, while UCLA improves to 37-3 and remains perfect in Big Ten play at 21-0. The Bruins have now won four straight games and are 8-2 in midweek action, continuing their dominant spring campaign.

Whereas the upset bid came up short, Hawai’i’s performance against the nation’s No. 1 team demonstrated resilience and offensive firepower. With Zeigler-Namoa continuing to deliver power at the plate and the lineup capable of stringing together hits, the Rainbow Warriors remain a dangerous opponent as they look to build momentum in the remainder of their schedule.