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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, May 23, 2002

UH baseball team closes season with 3 at Fresno State

Advertiser Staff

The Hawai'i baseball team will try to end its worst season in school history on a winning note this weekend in a season-ending Western Athletic Conference three-game series at Fresno State.

Both teams enter the series having been swept last week. The Bulldogs (29-27, 16-11 WAC) were swept by No. 1-ranked Rice, while the Rainbows (16-37, 5-22) were swept by Nevada. Hawai'i has lost five in a row.

But Fresno State has motivation of its own. Veteran coach Bob Bennett will retire after this weekend's series. He is a win shy (1,299-759) of becoming the seventh Division I coach to attain a milestone 1,300 coaching victories.

The Rainbows will start junior right-hander Chris George in tomorrow's 4:05 p.m. (Hawai'i time) start and freshman right-hander Ricky Bauer in Saturday's 4:15 p.m. start. The Bulldogs' probable starters are Ben Fritz tomorrow and Bob Runyon Saturday. Both teams were undecided on Sunday's starters. Game time is 10 a.m.

It is a celebratory weekend for Bulldogs fans at Beiden Field. On Saturday, the school will unveil a statue of former FSU coach Pete Beiden. Bennett will be honored Sunday, upon completing his 34th season with the school.

Bennett has been a long-time friend of former UH coach Les Murakami. Both were recipients of the Lefty Gomez Award and both were elected to the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the Rainbows will go their different ways after Sunday's game. Most of the Mainland players will leave for their homes from Fresno, instead of returning to Hawai'i, since finals ended last Friday.

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