Spartans spank Rainbows in WAC baseball finale

Advertiser Staff

San Jose State capitalized on two big innings as it beat the University of Hawai'i, 8-5, yesterday to avert a sweep in the regular-season finale of the Western Athletic Conference baseball series at Municipal Stadium in San Jose, Calif.

UH senior Kevin Gilbride started in right. Advertiser library photo • May 6, 2003

The Rainbows (30-26, 11-19) got sole possession of fourth place — a major turnaround from last year's 16-40 overall record and 5-25 conference mark.

"Our future goals will be higher expectations than where we are today, but I really think the 30-win season and fourth place are significant because it shows that Hawai'i baseball has turned the corner and is heading in the right direction," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "And it's because of these kids."

The Rainbows finished 2-2 on the season-ending road trip, which started with a mid-week non-conference loss at UC Irvine.

Saturday's win clinched the 30-win goal and fourth place so Trapasso played six of the eight seniors yesterday. (Pitchers Chris George and Justin Cayetano played Saturday.) Besides the regulars — Brent Cook at third and Brian Bock at catcher — UH started seniors Kevin Gilbride in right, Arthur Guillen in left and Julian Russell at second. Bryan Lee pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Cook was 0-for-13 on the trip before getting three consecutive hits from his second at-bat in yesterday's game. He hit a solo home run in the sixth before grounding into a game-ending double play.

Gilbride, who played in 45 games as a junior, got into his 18th game of the season and batted 3-for-4.

"I wanted to let all the seniors play," Trapasso said. "Some of them haven't played a whole lot and they did well. It was fun to get those guys in there for the all the work that they've put in."

San Jose State senior starter Frank Esposito (2-4) allowed five runs (one unearned) in 7 2/3 innings. He gave up nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Another senior, Andy Cook, pitched the final 11/3 innings for his sixth save.

Meanwhile, UH freshman starter Keahi Rawlins (5-5) walked five and was charged with five runs on three hits, all of which came in the Spartans' three-run fourth inning. Fellow freshman Guy McDowell didn't fare any better, giving up four hits — including Frandsen's three-run double — during the five-run sixth in which he was charged with three runs. McDowell pitched a scoreless seventh before giving way to Lee.

"The bases-loaded double was the killer," Trapasso said of Frandsen's hit. "We didn't pitch that well today."

The Rainbows took a 1-0 lead in the third. Gilbride reached on a bunt single, advanced to second on Russell's sacrifice, moved to third on a passed ball and scored when Guillen grounded out to second.

The Spartans took the lead in the fourth, which started with Frandsen getting hit by a pitch for the fifth time in the series. Rawlins walked Jordan Bergstrom before yielding an RBI double to Markum King, RBI single to Aaron Bates and squeeze to Jon Heuerman.

Hawai'i tied the score in the sixth on a two-run home run by Rocky Russo, but that was quickly negated when the Spartans scored five in the bottom of the frame.

The Rainbows got solo home runs from Cook and Tim Montgomery to end Esposito's' outing with two outs in the eighth. Montgomery's homer was his team-leading ninth of the season.

Notes: WAC champion Rice will host one of 16 regionals this weekend. The regional sites were announced yesterday. The 64-team field will be announced today. ... Nevada and San Jose State did not make up a rainout, thus each has one fewer WAC game than the other four teams.

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