Rainbows complete WAC sweep of Bulldogs

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

With tough acts to follow, freshman Keahi Rawlins responded with seven strong innings to lead the University of Hawai'i over Fresno State, 2-0, yesterday to complete a Western Athletic Conference baseball series sweep.

UH freshman Keahi Rawlins pitches to Fresno State's Ryan Haag. Rawlins was aided by three double plays. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

It was the first time UH has swept FSU (21-20, 7-8) in a series and the first time the Rainbows recorded two shutouts in a series since beating UCLA (3-0 and 6-0) to start the 1999 season.

UH has won five in a row, a win shy of its longest streak of the season.

"Feels nice," said catcher Brian Bock, who finished the season series against FSU batting 10-for-18 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs. "We owed them from the last time we played them over there."

The Bulldogs won 2-of-3 at Fresno March 7-9.

"It feels good because you come out of yesterday knowing you've won the series," Trapasso said. "Good teams will not just rest on that and have a letdown. Other teams will still try to do their best to win every game and get a sweep.

"It really started and ended with our pitchers and I'm happy for them and how they threw. It's two shutouts against a really quality club like Fresno."

On Friday, Ricky Bauer hurled eight shutout innings. On Saturday, Chris George allowed a run on a wild pitch in eight innings. Yesterday, Rawlins (4-2) held up his end. In his longest outing of the season, he permitted four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-hander from Moloka'i was supported by three double plays.

His worst trouble came in the fifth, when the Bulldogs put runners on second and third with two outs. After running a full count, Rawlins got Ryan Rothford to fly out to center.

"We owed them from the last time we played them over there," said UH catcher Brian Bock. Advertiser library photo • Feb. 17, 2002

"He had a couple innings of trouble throwing strikes," Bock said. "If he can throw strikes — his ball moves so much — he's going to get ground balls for outs."

Rawlins used 81 pitches, using mainly his fastball, which was in the 87-91 mph range.

"I kind of relied on my fastball today," he said.

Rawlins said he developed a blister in the fifth inning on his middle finger. In the seventh, he threw a pitch high and behind Chris Patrick. "It got worse and worse until I couldn't feel anything," Rawlins said.

Another freshman, Iolani School graduate Rich Olsen, finished with two scoreless innings. He wasn't as polished as he was on Friday when he pitched a perfect ninth to save Bauer's 3-0 win.

"He battled and all that matters is he gets it done and he got it done," Bock said.

Olsen gave up a walk with two outs in the eighth before striking out Cody Smith to end the inning. He got two quick outs in the ninth before Kent Sakamoto singled and Patrick walked. Trapasso paid a visit and had a brief message, telling Olsen not to be tentative.

Olsen, whose usually sharp-breaking curve had deserted him, struck out Davis with a fastball on the outside corner to end the game for his second save.

"I just couldn't throw my curveball for strikes," Olsen said. "It happens."

Yet another freshman, designated hitter Rocky Russo, hit a fourth-inning RBI single that gave the Rainbows a 1-0 lead against FSU starter Donnie Bair (2-1). Junior Brian Finegan's sacrifice fly in the fifth accounted for the other run.

Next up for the Rainbows is San Jose State (20-21, 6-11), which took 2-of-3 from Louisiana Tech (13-24-1, 6-12). The series starts here Friday.

Trapasso said he is likely to stay with the same starting rotation of Bauer, George and Rawlins against the Spartans.

Hawai'i has already matched last year's win total in the WAC; it was 5-25. The Rainbows have 14 games left, 12 in conference, six of them at home.

"Our pitching came up big this time," Bock said. "But we still got a lot of ways to go with our hitting."

• • •

• • •