Hawai'i routs HPU, 14-4
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff
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| The grounds crew at Les Murakami Stadium got some help from the UH Rainbows pulling the tarp on the field during a cloud burst in the middle of the fourth inning.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
Serving as third base coach for the Hawai'i baseball team in place of head coach Mike Trapasso, Sorge waved home runner after runner in the Rainbows' 14-4 win against Hawai'i Pacific in a game called with one out in the bottom of the seventh after consecutive RBI singles by Gregg Omori and Kevin Gilbride put into effect the 10-run differential rule at the Rainbow Easter Baseball Tournament.
After 15 consecutive scoreless innings spanning three games, the Rainbows enjoyed their highest scoring output of the season. It was the second time the Rainbows have scored in double digits this season.
"We figured let's try something different to change our luck," Trapasso said. "Yeah, and he got a lot more runs than I've been getting over there. We'll stick with that for awhile. You know how baseball coaches and players are with superstitions."
The Rainbows (10-20, 2-2 in the tournament) endured two rain delays totaling 65 minutes; the second one that lasted 32 minutes came before UH's five-run fourth, when it batted around. The Rainbows had the bases loaded when the game was delayed.
"We're at a point where we'll try anything," Sorge said. "It was fun. Hopefully, we can kind of get going."
Second baseman Lane Nogawa and shortstop Julian Russell had two hits and three RBIs apiece for the Rainbows. Former Rainbow Wade Taguchi had two hits for the Sea Warriors.
Chris George (2-2) allowed four runs, three unearned, in 6¡ innings. He gave up seven hits and two walks to go with his nine strikeouts. William Quaglieri pitched two-thirds scoreless innings of relief.
Keola McCallum (1-3) was tagged for nine runs, eight earned, in 4¡ innings for the Sea Warriors (17-21, 0-5), who have lost seven in a row.
In the fourth, Omori led off with a walk and Gilbride reached safely on a fielder's choice when catcher Shea Hirota's throw to second was low, allowing Omori to reach second. A bunt single by Derek Honma loaded the bases before the 32-minute rain delay.
When play resumed, Tim Montgomery ended the scoring spell with a midjudged pop RBI single to left. After Grady Symonds flied out to center, first baseman Ikaika DuPont mishandled center fielder T.C. Everett's throw to the infield, allowing Gilbride to score and the other runners to move up a base. Russell then followed with a two-run single to center to make it 3-0. Russell then scored from first after a two-base throwing error by third baseman Jonathan Torres. Nogawa followed with a line single to left to score Guillen to make it 5-0 before Brent Cook flied out to center to end the inning.
But the Rainbows brought the Sea Warriors back because of an error in the fifth. Alika Kuraoka and Hirota hit consecutive singles before George struck out Andrew Stith and Everett. Derek Little then hit a grounder to shortstop Russell, who bobbled the ball, then threw errantly to second, allowing Kuraoka to score. With runners at the corners, George walked Taguchi to load the bases and walked Torres to push across another run. Chris Rosa followed with an RBI single to reload the bases and pull HPU to 5-3. But DuPont flied to right to end the inning.
The Rainbows then sent 12 batters to the plate in a seven-run fifth.
Notes: An aggregate turnstile count of 1,179 watched the three games yesterday. The start of the game was delayed 33 minutes because of rain. A 32-minute rain delay followed in the UH fourth inning. Sean Yamashita is slated to start against UH-Hilo in tonight's 6:35 game.
San Jose State 12, Birmingham Southern 0: Ryan Adams hit a first-inning grand slam and Bryan Baker hit a three-run homer in a five-run fourth as the Spartans routed the Panthers (15-13, 2-2) to clinch the tournament title.
The Spartans, 24-9 and 5-0 in the tournament, clinched the title because they won all possible tie-breakers.
Matt Durkin (4-1) allowed two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts for the seven-inning complete game. The game was shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.
Birmingham South. 000 000 0— 0 2 0
San Jose State 403 500 x—12 12 0
John Crew, Mac Godwin (4) and Ryan Griffith. Matt Durkin and Adam Shorsher. WP—Durkin. LP—Crew.
Leading hitters: BS—Cory Hamrick double. SJSU—Travis Becktel 2-3, double; Gabe Lopez 2-4, double; Ryan Adams 2-4, home run, 4 RBIs; Bryan Baker 2-3, home run, 4 RBIs; Brad Kilby 2-2, 2 doubles.
UC Riverside 7, Lewis-Clark State 4: Tony Festa's three-run double to left-center in a four-run fifth snapped a 2-all tie for the Highlanders (18-11, 3-1). Festa finished 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs. Lewis-Clark State fell to 20-8 and 2-2.
UC Riverside 020 041 000—7 11 1
Lewis-Clark State 020 000 101—4 10 2
Matt Thiessen and Jimmy Anderson. Anarbol Avina, Patrick Bailes (5), Welch (7) and Gabe Stajduhar.
Leading hitters: UCR—Anderson 3-5; Tony Festa 4-5, double. LCS—Mike Madrid 2-4; Mark Gallagher 3-4, 2 doubles; Stajduhar double; Matt Morgan double; Nick Walker double.
