Wichita State stops UH, 4-3

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

UH second baseman Schafer Magana can't get a handle on the ball as Wichita State's Brandon Green steals second. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The Rainbows (7-2) stranded 18 runners, one shy of the school record — leaving the bases loaded five times — against the Shockers (8-1), ranked 27th by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. It happened before a Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 2,830, the largest turnout of the season.

"It was a game we didn't deserve to win," UH left fielder Brent Cook said. "We got nine hits and 11 walks, left 18 guys on base. Especially myself, I didn't get that big hit when we needed when the situation came."

The Rainbows failed in 5-of-7 bases-loaded at-bats. Cook, who a solo home run in the first inning to give UH a brief 1-0 lead, had an RBI single in the fourth with the bases full to give UH a 2-1 lead. But he also made the final out in two other bases-loaded at-bats. Josh Green's sacrifice fly following Cook's RBI single was the only other time UH converted with the bases loaded.

Tommy Hottovy (1-0) pitched 2¡ scoreless innings of relief for starter Steve Uhlmansiek, who lasted 3¡ innings but was lifted because he was on a pitch count, WSU coach Gene Stephenson said. Uhlmansiek left having thrown 84 pitches. Kyle Banick added a shutout inning and Mike Dennison notched his third save with 2¡ scoreless innings.

Justin Cayetano (1-1) allowed four runs — three earned — on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings. Freshman Richie Olsen gave up one hit in three scoreless innings of relief.

Of UH's 11 walks, freshman third baseman Rocky Russo had five to tie a school record with Kimo Perkins (1981) and Ryan Kato (1988).

Also, Brian Finegan extended his hitting streak to nine games with a seventh-inning single.

The Shockers tagged Cayetano for three runs in the fifth. With one out, Nick Blasi tied the game with a two-run homer to right-center. After an infield single by Brandon Green, who took second on second baseman Magana's throwing error, Drew Moffitt reached on shortstop Finegan's fielding error. A walk to Sorensen loaded the bases to set up Cody Clark's RBI single to right in which right fielder Josh Green threw out Moffitt, who tried to score from second standing on a play he would have likely been safe had he tried to slide.

Cook's homer, his first of the season, was matched in the top of the second when Clark led off with a homer to left-center.

Then the Rainbows loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with two outs, but Cook flied out to right.

Hawai'i broke the deadlock with two in the fourth. With one out, Tyler Wightman walked and took second on Magana's single. After both advanced on a wild pitch by Uhlmansiek, Finegan walked to load the bases, ending Uhlmansiek's night for Hottovy. Cook's RBI single to reload the bases and give UH a 2-1 lead was followed by Josh Green's sacrifice fly to right that made it 3-1. A walk to Russo reloaded the bases, but Nick Ponomarenko struck out to end the inning.

The Rainbows would load the bases in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, only to come up empty.

Dennison walked the first batter he faced (Russo) in the seventh with two outs, but struck out pinch hitter Andrew Sansaver. He retired six of the next seven he faced to save the game.

"He had a pretty good slider," said Cook, who took a called third strike on a slider. "He fooled me on that last pitch."

The Shockers also made nice plays to smother potential big innings by UH. First baseman Logan Sorensen made a diving stop to deny Josh Green of a possible double and third baseman Clark made a diving stop toward the line to rob Tim Montgomery of a hit.

"I thought our defense was really good," Stephenson said. "It's the one thing that's really been excellent so far in all of our games."

In the fifth, Magana popped a foul off a failed safety squeeze and catcher Joe Muich made a diving catch.

While the WSU pitchers made good pitches to get out of jams, much like the way UH did the previous night, it should have helped them only to a certain degree.

"Dennison in the last inning, really closed the door on our guys," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "I don't have a problem giving credit to their pitchers, but when you leave 18 on base, when you get nine hits and 11 walks and get just three runs, you know part of it is just your inability to execute."

Added Cook: "For the most part, they did a pretty good job of making good pitches, but what it comes down to is getting the job done. We just didn't do it tonight."

The series concludes at 1:05 p.m. today with UH sending Ricky Bauer (1-0) against Mike Pelfrey (1-0).