Ball State University Athletics
Thursday, February 26
Manoa, Hawaii
6:30 PM HT / 11:30 PM ET
Ball State University
at
Hawaii
Photo by: Kolbi Media
Baseball in Hawaii for Four-Game Set vs Rainbow Warriors; Follow Along with Links to Radio Broadcasts and Live Stats
February 25, 2026 | Baseball
The Ball State baseball team is set for its first four games at Hawaii in program history starting at 11:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. Hawaii time) on Thursday in Manoa at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Cardinals and Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to play at the same time on Friday and Saturday before a 6 p.m. ET series finale on Sunday. Links to the radio broadcasts and live stats for each game can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State (4-3) is coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Swig & Swine College Classic, as they beat Merrimack 14-6 on Sunday morning in the final games of the event behind two home runs each from Jacob Gillis and Charlie Keller.
Hawaii (5-3) dropped its two most recent games to Wichita State after taking the first two of a four-game set against the Shockers last weekend and going 3-1 against Gonzaga in the opening series of the season.
Rich Hill is in his fifth season in charge of the Rainbow Warriors, who were picked in a tie for fourth in the 11-team Big West preseason poll after finishing in the same spot in 2025 with a 35-21 (16-14) record.
Ball State will return home after this trip and host Central Michigan on Friday afternoon for the Mid-American Conference and home opener.
GRAND WEEKEND FOR GILLIS: Junior first baseman Jacob Gillis hit a grand slam in his first at bat of the weekend on his way to three home runs and eight RBI in three games in Charleston.
The transfer from Bossier Parish Community College was named a Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week for his performances against Merrimack, which included the bases-clearing homer in the first inning Friday and a 4-for-6 with two home runs and four RBI effort in the 14-6 win on Sunday over the Warriors.
LONG TIME HEAD COACHES MATCHING UP: This weekend's series in Manoa, which is on the island of O'ahu in Hawaii, features two of the most-winning skippers among active college head coaches.
Rich Hill is in his fifth season leading the Rainbow Warriors, and only three NCAA Division I active coaches boast more career wins than his 1,213. Ball State's Rich Maloney is ninth in D1 among active head coaches with 1,028 victories in 31 seasons, reaching the 1,000-win milestone last March.
BALIUS BATS AND RUNS: Senior Gavin Balius had another strong weekend at the plate and on the basepaths and leads the Cardinals in batting average (.385) and stolen bases (11) through the first seven games of the season.
The Flushing, Mich., native stole three bases each against Merrimack on Friday and George Mason on Saturday before swiping two in the rematch with Merrimack on Sunday. Balius pounded out a season high three hits against George Mason and leads the league and ranks second in Division I entering this weekend with the 11 steals.
ALOHA CARDINALS: Ball State is set to play its first games in the Aloha State and first contests against the Rainbow Warriors.
The Cardinals will also play a Big West opponent for the first time amongst the current group of 11 teams from the conference.
DEFENSIVE DYNAMOS: Ball State finished the 2025 season with the fourth-best fielding percentage in NCAA Division I at .983 (only 34 errors in 1,993 opportunities).
The Cardinals concluded the regular season with the top fielding percentage in the country (.984) but got passed up in the postseason. Ball State had five errors for a .980 fielding percentage
in the seven games to start the season.
NEW LOOK OFFENSE: Balius is the lone returning Ball State hitter with more than 100 at bats last season. Balius produced a .303/.343/.407 slash line in 178 at bats while tallying a team high 22 steals in 2025.
Senior Ben Giovannetti (90 at bats) and junior Max Kalk (46) are the next two Cardinals with the most times to plate last season. Senior Brett Griffiths (40 at bats) and sophomores DJ Scheumann (25), Brayden Huebner (23) and John Colligan (19) will look to get more experience swinging the bat in their second seasons at Ball State.
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The Cardinals and Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to play at the same time on Friday and Saturday before a 6 p.m. ET series finale on Sunday. Links to the radio broadcasts and live stats for each game can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State (4-3) is coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Swig & Swine College Classic, as they beat Merrimack 14-6 on Sunday morning in the final games of the event behind two home runs each from Jacob Gillis and Charlie Keller.
Hawaii (5-3) dropped its two most recent games to Wichita State after taking the first two of a four-game set against the Shockers last weekend and going 3-1 against Gonzaga in the opening series of the season.
Rich Hill is in his fifth season in charge of the Rainbow Warriors, who were picked in a tie for fourth in the 11-team Big West preseason poll after finishing in the same spot in 2025 with a 35-21 (16-14) record.
Ball State will return home after this trip and host Central Michigan on Friday afternoon for the Mid-American Conference and home opener.
GRAND WEEKEND FOR GILLIS: Junior first baseman Jacob Gillis hit a grand slam in his first at bat of the weekend on his way to three home runs and eight RBI in three games in Charleston.
The transfer from Bossier Parish Community College was named a Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week for his performances against Merrimack, which included the bases-clearing homer in the first inning Friday and a 4-for-6 with two home runs and four RBI effort in the 14-6 win on Sunday over the Warriors.
LONG TIME HEAD COACHES MATCHING UP: This weekend's series in Manoa, which is on the island of O'ahu in Hawaii, features two of the most-winning skippers among active college head coaches.
Rich Hill is in his fifth season leading the Rainbow Warriors, and only three NCAA Division I active coaches boast more career wins than his 1,213. Ball State's Rich Maloney is ninth in D1 among active head coaches with 1,028 victories in 31 seasons, reaching the 1,000-win milestone last March.
BALIUS BATS AND RUNS: Senior Gavin Balius had another strong weekend at the plate and on the basepaths and leads the Cardinals in batting average (.385) and stolen bases (11) through the first seven games of the season.
The Flushing, Mich., native stole three bases each against Merrimack on Friday and George Mason on Saturday before swiping two in the rematch with Merrimack on Sunday. Balius pounded out a season high three hits against George Mason and leads the league and ranks second in Division I entering this weekend with the 11 steals.
ALOHA CARDINALS: Ball State is set to play its first games in the Aloha State and first contests against the Rainbow Warriors.
The Cardinals will also play a Big West opponent for the first time amongst the current group of 11 teams from the conference.
DEFENSIVE DYNAMOS: Ball State finished the 2025 season with the fourth-best fielding percentage in NCAA Division I at .983 (only 34 errors in 1,993 opportunities).
The Cardinals concluded the regular season with the top fielding percentage in the country (.984) but got passed up in the postseason. Ball State had five errors for a .980 fielding percentage
in the seven games to start the season.
NEW LOOK OFFENSE: Balius is the lone returning Ball State hitter with more than 100 at bats last season. Balius produced a .303/.343/.407 slash line in 178 at bats while tallying a team high 22 steals in 2025.
Senior Ben Giovannetti (90 at bats) and junior Max Kalk (46) are the next two Cardinals with the most times to plate last season. Senior Brett Griffiths (40 at bats) and sophomores DJ Scheumann (25), Brayden Huebner (23) and John Colligan (19) will look to get more experience swinging the bat in their second seasons at Ball State.
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Players Mentioned
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