Nevada hands UH baseball fourth-straight loss, 11-2
Advertiser Staff
Nevada scored nine runs in its final two innings to blow by Hawai'i, 11-2, yesterday in Western Athletic Conference baseball at Peccole Park in Reno, Nev.
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The Wolf Pack (24-29, 9-17 WAC) batted around in a three-run seventh and sent 12 batters to the plate in a six-run eighth in which Nevada had just one hit. The Rainbows (16-36, 5-21), who have dropped four in a row, will try to avert their fourth conference sweep of the season at 11 a.m. HST today. Bryan Lee will make his first start for the Rainbows since March 15 at UH-Hilo.
Gregg Omori will miss rest of the season because of a biceps injury.
Hawai'i's only runs were solo home runs by Brent Cook, his second in as many days, and Kevin Gilbride, his first of the season, in the fourth inning. It was the only dent the Rainbows could put into Nevada starter James Holcomb (3-6), who spaced six hits and four walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings. Craig Norris picked up the save because he entered the game when the Wolf Pack led 5-2.
Rainbows' starter Ricky Bauer (1-8) held Nevada to two runs through six innings before allowing a two-out, run-scoring double by Taylor Pullins, who eventually scored on Curtis Wickwire's single. Bauer was charged with four runs on nine hits and one walk with six strikeouts in 6á innings.
Relievers William Quaglieri, Matt Le Ducq and Jason Piepmeier could not restore order to keep the game close. They combined for five walks and two of four hit batsmen. On Saturday, UH hit six batters. Hawai'i coach Mike Trapasso said about half of those inside pitches got away from his pitchers. The others were questionable as to whether the hitters made an attempt to avoid being hit.
"It depends who you ask," he said. "The rule is you can't lean into a pitch and you have to make an effort to get out of the way. The interpretation of the rule has been different (at Nevada) from the rest of the year."
Trapasso was critical of Saturday's umpiring crew during the pregame radio broadcast yesterday. He said that the comments might get him into trouble with the conference.
In the Wolf Pack's six-run eighth, the only hit was a two-run double by Mike Gillies. There were three hit batsmen, three walks (one intentional) and two errors in the inning.
Meanwhile, first baseman Gregg Omori's career at UH ended with a biceps injury suffered while playing catch at practice on Friday. Trapasso said a physician examined Omori yesterday and needed only about five seconds to make a determination. Trapasso said Omori cannot bat either because he has no mobility of his right shoulder.
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