Quick start helps Rainbows even series with BYU
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
This victory was a little more sweeter for Hawai'i right fielder Kevin Gilbride.
Gilbride's first inning two-run single ignited the Rainbows baseball team to a 10-5 win against Brigham Young last night before 1,714 at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Rainbows tied the series at 1-all and evened their record at 6-6, while the Cougars dropped to 4-11.
"It always feels good to get any kind of win," said Gilbride, who also scored twice and walked two times. "But you always want to do it to a team you used to play for, whether you know anybody on that team or not."
Gilbride, who attended BYU on a football scholarship during the 1998-99 school year, practiced with the Cougars' baseball team, but wasn't officially on the roster. He said BYU wanted him to attend spring football practices his freshman year before participating in both sports. But he transferred to UH for football before he got a chance to play baseball at BYU.
Gilbride wasn't the only one to shine. Derek Honma became the fourth different Rainbow to bat leadoff this season and responded by going 2 for 4 with a double, walk and two runs.
Lane Nogawa was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.
"We haven't had a lot of luck in the leadoff spot," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Derek works so hard. He comes out early everyday, takes early BP (batting practice) and never has hung his head because of a lack of playing time. He earned the opportunity and had a good game."
Meanwhile, UH starter Aaron Pribble (2-0) survived a shaky fourth inning after the Rainbows gave him a 7-1 cushion. Apparently losing focus, he left his pitches high and the Cougars put together four hits and a catcher's throwing error on a steal attempt in a three-run fourth to pull BYU to 7-4.
"We had a big lead and he let them right back in the game by just hoping to get through," Trapasso said. "It was way too early for us to be in that stage. We got on him a little bit, but he's a senior and he's competitive. I didn't think he'd get through the fifth inning the way he threw the fourth. But he got the big pickoff, settled down and pitched great."
In his eight innings, Pribble allowed nine hits and a walk, while striking out five. After the shaky fourth, he allowed two hits — an infield single and triple, both by Matt Carson.
The big lead allowed Trapasso to give freshman Jason Piepmeier some work. He pitched a perfect ninth with third baseman Brent Cook, who had his four-game hitting streak snapped, handling all three plays in the inning.
The series concludes at 12:05 p.m. today. Right-handed junior college transfer Chris George (0-0, 9.00) will make his starting debut for the Rainbows after making three single-inning relief appearances. He will face right-hander Scott Koffman (1-2, 6.75).
