By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Rice’s 10-4 win against Hawai‘i was as indicative as their records in last night’s Western Athletic Conference baseball game.
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| Rice's Kenny Baugh pitched six innings, striking out 10, to earn his fourth victory of the season.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
The Owls (17-3, 7-0 WAC), ranked third nationally by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, abused Rainbow pitching for nine runs in the first four innings behind two-run home runs by Enrique Cruz and Eric Arnold, and a two-run double by Hunter Brown.
Meanwhile, the Rainbows (7-12, 2-8) lost their eighth straight, one shy of tying the school record set in 1997.
But trying to avert that will be a chore tonight against Rice starter Jon Skaggs (4-0, 1.93 earned run average).
"We’re struggling," UH acting coach Carl Furutani said. "We’re not going to deny that we didn’t play close to our capabilities. We went out there a little tight. We’re trying not to make mistakes and not to play bad. And when you try too hard like that, things don’t go the right way. We have to lose that feeling, and we have to lose that quick."
For the fifth consecutive game, a UH starter did not last five innings. Left-hander Matt Le Ducq (1-1) had an inauspicious starting debut, giving up seven runs, eight hits and two walks in four innings. Five relievers followed him, each pitching one inning.
Meanwhile, Rice starter Kenny Baugh (4-0) still managed to hold down the slumping Rainbows despite not being as sharp as he had been earlier in the season, Rice coach Wayne Graham said. Graham lifted Baugh after six innings because of the 9-2 lead. Had the score been closer, Graham said Baugh might have pitched one or two more innings.
Baugh allowed two runs, four hits and four walks, but struck out 10. Graham said Baugh’s fastball was topping out at 94 mph in the first inning. Baugh fanned five of the first six batters he faced and six of the first nine.
The Owls used all phases of their offense. Besides the two homers, the Owls also stole five bases, four from double steals. Arnold and Brown each swiped two.
Although there were no unearned runs charged to UH pitchers, the Rainbows committed two errors, the sixth consecutive game they have had multiple errors and 14th overall during the losing streak.
Furutani doesn’t plan any major changes in the starting lineup. Lane Nogawa, who was the designated hitter last night, will start at shortstop tonight for Cortland Wilson, who was 1-for-3 with an RBI single, but struck out twice. Wilson committed his ninth error last night.
Left-handed hitting Aaron Pribble hit a pinch-hit solo home run in the ninth for the Rainbows off right-handed reliever Jeff Nichols.
Sean Yamashita (0-2, 4.81) will pitch for the Rainbows tonight against Skaggs.
With Baugh and Skaggs, the Owls have one of the deadliest one-two pitching punches in the conference, if not the nation. Both were drafted after their junior seasons last year, Baugh in the fifth round by Oakland and Skaggs in the fourth by Baltimore. When both opted to return, it made the Owls the preseason favorite to repeat as WAC champions.
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