Posted on: Saturday, February 2,2002
Seminoles get best of Rainbows again, 7-4
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| University of Hawai'i pitcher Ryan Yamamoto was roughed up by Florida State early, facing just eight Seminole batters in the contest at Les Murakami Stadium.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
There's a reason the Florida State Seminoles are ranked second in the nation.
On a night when neither starting pitcher had his best stuff, Florida State left-hander Matt Lynch still managed to blank Hawai'i over six innings in a 7-4 collegiate baseball victory last night to take a 2-1 lead in the four-game series.
Meanwhile, UH starter Ryan Yamamoto did not have his breaking pitches working, lasting just one-plus innings, allowing four runs and facing just eight batters.
Although Lynch is one of FSU's best pitchers, he was not as sharp as Wednesday's starter, Blair Varnes. Lynch scattered five hits and a walk, plus there were two batters who reached on errors. Still, he stranded seven runners in the process.
"I really thought that Lynch battled and did a good job, but there was about a three-inning stretch where he was struggling getting anything over the plate but his fastball," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "We just didn't take advantage of it. We just have to do a better job of doing things early."
As for Yamamoto, Trapasso said the senior left-hander, making his career starting debut for UH, did not have his breaking pitches and had little command of his fastball.
The Rainbows' third through sixth hitters in the lineup — Gregg Omori, Scooter Martines, Cortland Wilson and Brian Bock — were a collective 0 for 13. Omori, who was walked in the first winning, said he didn't see any good pitches to hit, as Lynch and the FSU relievers consistently pitched him away. That resulted in the right-handed hitting Omori hitting four fly balls to right, three of which were caught and one dropped for an error.
"Everything was off-speed and away," Omori said.
But FSU's experienced starting rotation is mainly the reason for the Rainbows' slow starts offensively. Still, Trapasso believes his offense has to step up.
"It's obviously a tribute to Florida State and their pitchers, but I also think it's a combination of us just not getting it done early."
Among the bright spots for UH was its bullpen. William Quaglieri allowed two runs in five innings, while striking out six.
The Seminoles' seventh and eighth hitters — DH Blair McCaleb and right fielder Michael Futrell — did the most damage. McCaleb was 2 for 3 with two doubles and Futrell had a two-run double and a solo home run, as well as two walks.
Down 7-0, the Rainbows posted four in the bottom of the eighth inning with four consecutive hits by non-starters.
Against right-handed reliever Justin Miller, Danny Mocny pinch-hit for Scooter Martines and singled; and shortstop Jason Carlson, who entered the previous inning for Cortland Wilson, singled. Grady Symonds, pinch-hitting for catcher Brian Bock, doubled to left to score Mocny as Carlson took third.
With the left-handed hitting Kevin Gilbride pinch-hitting for Tim Montgomery, FSU brought in left-hander Daniel Hodges. Gilbride drilled a 2-1 fastball off his former high school teammate for a double; because Symonds had to see if the ball would be caught, he only advanced from second to third.
Hodges got the next two batters out on back-to-back RBI ground outs before getting Arthur Guillen to fly out to left to end the threat.
Eric Roman pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.
The series concludes at 12:05 p.m. today. Freshman right-hander Jason Piepmeier will pitch for UH against junior right-hander Robby Read.
NOTES: Les Murakami will be inducted into the University of Hawai'i Sports Circle of Honor at halftime of tonight's basketball game. He will be the only inductee in the program's 19th year. He retired with a record of 1,079-570-4.
SMALL COLLEGE BASEBALL
• Chico sweeps HPU: Brad Walski went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead Cal-State Chico (4-0) over Hawai'i Pacific, 6-3, at Hans L'Orange Park in the first of two games.
Chico won the nightcap, 14-5.
Shay Hirota went 3-for-4 in the second game for the Sea Warriors (3-9).
• San Diego State tops Vulcans: Brian Manfred went 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead San Diego State (1-1) over Hawai'i-Hilo (1-11-1), 10-0 at Wong Stadium.
