UC Irvine Baseball Brings Winning Streak to Hawaii

Anteaters look to extend dominance over Rainbow Warriors in Big West series

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:05am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in shades of blue, green, and yellow, depicting the action and movement of a baseball game in an abstract, deconstructed style.A cubist interpretation of the competitive Big West baseball matchup between UC Irvine and Hawaii, capturing the dynamic energy and strategic complexities of the game.Irvine Today

The UC Irvine Anteaters baseball team, led by coach Ben Orloff, will travel to Hawaii this weekend to take on the Rainbow Warriors in a three-game Big West Conference series. The Anteaters have defeated Hawaii nine consecutive times, including a postseason victory in 2025, and are looking to continue their recent success against the home team.

Why it matters

This series is an important conference matchup between two teams with differing recent histories. UC Irvine has been the dominant program, while Hawaii has struggled to find consistent success against their Big West rival. The outcome of this series could have implications for both teams' conference standings and postseason aspirations.

The details

UC Irvine will send its ace, right-hander Trevor Hansen, to the mound on Friday, followed by Finnegan Wall on Saturday. Hawaii will counter with its own pitching duo of Isaiah Magdaleno and Hekili Robello, who have given the Anteaters trouble in the past. Hawaii's Ben Zeigler-Namoa has been a standout performer, but the team as a whole is hitting just .226 in Big West play. Inclement weather could also be a factor, with rain and wind in the forecast for the weekend series.

  • The three-game series begins on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 6:35 p.m.
  • The series continues on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 6:35 p.m.
  • The finale is scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 1:05 p.m.

The players

Ben Orloff

The head coach of the UC Irvine Anteaters baseball team, known for his analytical approach to the game.

Isaiah Magdaleno

One of Hawaii's top pitching aces, who has given the Anteaters trouble in the past.

Ben Zeigler-Namoa

A versatile outfielder and first baseman for the Rainbow Warriors, regarded as a key offensive threat.

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What they’re saying

“Hawaii's good. It's always tough to play Hawaii in Hawaii. The travel. The long days before you go on the field (for night games). The crowd noise. How far the dugouts are from the field for communication. Compound that with you're facing Magdaleno and Robello.”

— Ben Orloff, UC Irvine Head Coach

“Just sticking to my process and trusting all the work I put in throughout my whole career and life.”

— Tate Shimao, Hawaii Third Baseman

What’s next

The winner of this series will gain an advantage in the Big West Conference standings as the regular season winds down.

The takeaway

This matchup between the dominant Anteaters and the struggling Rainbow Warriors highlights the competitive nature of Big West baseball, where even the top teams must overcome the challenges of playing on the road against a tough conference opponent.