'Bows bungle scoring opportunities, fall to BYU, 4-3

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

UH's Arthur Guillen is doubled up at the plate by Lars Birkeland. Guillen tried to score on a fly ball to right. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

The Cougars (5-11), of the Mountain West Conference, got another strong outing from their bullpen before scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to break a 3-all game.

The Rainbows (6-7) rallied from a 3-0 deficit after three innings. Besides stranding runners, they had one thrown out at the plate.

A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 1,094 watched the Rainbows leave the bases loaded in the fourth, seventh and ninth innings.

"We lost this game because we didn't compete at the plate," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Offensively, we were very bad. We played hard, we played with passion. We just didn't move the ball and didn't swing with any confidence or with any authority today."

Paul Jacinto (1-0) pitched four strong innings in relief of BYU emergency starter Matt Ward. Scheduled starter Scott Koffman was scratched after suffering back problems from pregame workouts on Friday, BYU coach Vance Law said.

"I was real pleased with the way (Jacinto) battled," Law said.

Tyler Dabo got his first save after coming in for Jacinto in the ninth with one out and a runner on first. Dabo walked Scooter Martines, after a 10-pitch, five-foul-off at-bat, and hit Cortland Wilson to load the bases. But he struck out pinch-hitter Danny Mocny and Lane Nogawa to end the game.

The Rainbows wasted a solid performance by Chris George, who pitched 6¡ innings, allowing four hits, three walks and three runs while striking out seven.

Two of the three walks ended up scoring, thanks to BYU right fielder Matt Carson. His first-inning RBI single and third-inning two-run homer gave the Cougars a 3-0 lead.

But George settled down, retiring 12 of the next 13 batters after Carson's homer. A seventh inning, one out walk and a single spelled the end of his start at the 92-pitch mark.

"My first couple innings, my problem was getting the ball up," George said.

The Rainbows had a runner thrown out at home plate in the first inning. Arthur Guillen reached first on an infield single and took third on Ward's wild throw.

Brent Cook then flied out to medium right center, where center fielder Doug Jackson and Carson converged. The stronger-armed Carson called off Jackson and threw out Guillen at the plate for a double play with Gregg Omori on deck. Omori doubled and took third when Carson bobbled the ball, but was stranded there when Martines grounded out to third.

"I made a mistake in sending Guillen," Trapasso said. "That was my wrong. I cost us there. With Omori up to the plate I should've just held him.

"I thought the center fielder was going to catch it; he was back pedaling. I knew he couldn't throw him out back pedaling, but I didn't see the right fielder had called him off. That's why (Jackson) was backing out of the way, so (Carson) could come in (for an angle to throw home)."

The Cougars got the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth off Sean Yamashita (0-1). Jake Stubblefield reached first on third baseman Cook's throwing error. Stubblefield advanced to second on Lars Birkeland's sacrifice and scored on Ranger Wiens' ground single to right.

As for the Rainbows, it's time to regroup.

"We left a lot of guys on," UH's Martines said. "We have to work harder as a team. We have to practice hard this week. We got our ass kicked. We didn't execute and that's what happens when you don't execute."

Notes: BYU junior third baseman Kainoa Obrey (Iolani '99), bothered by a herniated disk, will use a medical redshirt to regain his eligibility as a junior next season. He played in two of the three games in the series; he doubled in his final at-bat yesterday. "I think it's the best thing to do," he said of his decision to redshirt. ... Center fielder Doug Jackson (Iolani '99) was 1 for 11 with two runs, an RBI and a steal in the series. ... Another Hawai'i tie at BYU is assistant David "Boy" Eldredge, who was head coach at Hawai'i Pacific from 1990-1995.

UH outfielder Derek Honma hurt his left wrist in his first at-bat Friday. After batting 2 for 4, he was pegged to start, but the injury kept him out. ... UH starting right fielder Kevin Gilbride was removed from the game by coach Mike Trapasso after Gilbride tossed his bat after striking out in the second inning. Trapasso said in retrospect he should have left Gilbride in, but at the moment of the event, felt that was the appropriate decision.