Christian Johnson's sixth-inning grand slam snapped a 1-all game and Zach Gallagher pitched six strong innings to help Hawai'i fend off San Diego, 8-6, today at Cunningham Stadium in San Diego.

Gallagher (2-1) went six-plus innings, allowing three runs, 11 hits and two walks with two strikeouts for the Rainbows (14-11), who finished their first road trip 3-2. They return home today and will play Gonzaga in a three-game series starting Friday at Les Murakami Stadium. Connor Little allowed a run in one-plus innings and Lenny Linsky allowed two runs in two innings in a non-save situation. He entered the game with UH ahead, 8-4 with runner on first in the eighth.

Matt Thompson (0-2) allowed five runs (four earned), including Johnson's slam, in two-plus innings of relief for the Toreros (14-12).

Punahou alumnus Zach Kometani went 3 for 4 for San Diego, hitting two home runs. His first in the fourth inning tied the game at 1 and his second came in the ninth, a two-run shot that pulled USD to within two.

The Rainbows took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Kevin Macdonald walked with two outs and scored on Jeffrey Van Doornum's triple to right.

But the Toreros tied it in the bottom of the fourth on Kometani's two out, solo homer to right.

Hawai'i regained the lead in the sixth. Kolten Wong led off with a single against Matt Thompson and an out later, stole second before Collin Bennett walked. Macdonald walked to load the bases. After Van Doornum struck out, Christian Johnson's grand slam to right put UH ahead, 5-1.

The Rainbows got added one in the seventh. Wong led off with a single and made it to second when the second baseman dropped the ball after tagging out Wong. Wong scored on David Freitas' single to right. Freitas went to second on the right fielder's throwing error.

The Toreros scored twice in the seventh to cut their deficit in half. Bryan Haar led off with a double and scored on Matt Moynihan's triple to pull to 6-2. Gallagher was pulled for Connor Little. Tony Strazzara reached on a fielder's choice grounder to third in which third baseman Kitamura tagged Moynihan out. James Meador wsa hit by a pitch. Mike Ferraro reached on a fielder's choice grounder to first that foreced the runner at second and left runners at the corners. Austin Green singled to score Strazzara to make it 6-3. But Little struck out Kometani to end the inning.

The Rainbows added two insurance runs in the eighth on a throwing error from the shortstop and a sacrifice fly by Wong to make it 8-3.

San Diego got a run in the bottom of the eighth. Victor Sanchez led off with a walk against Little, who was pulled for Lenny Linsky. A wild pitch sent Sanchez to second before Kevin Muno struck out. Haar's RBI single pulled the Toreros to 8-4.

The Toreros threatened in the ninth, but came up two short. Ferraro led off with a single and took second when Green grounded out to third. Kometani's second homer of the game pulled USD to 8-6. Sanchez doubled to right, but pinch hitter Scott Schauer struck out and Haar grounded out to short to end the game.