Trapasso takes blame for loss at Fresno State

Advertiser Staff

A pitching change Hawai'i coach Mike Trapasso planned to make, but didn't, came back to haunt the Rainbows in a 13-8 Western Athletic Conference loss at Fresno State yesterday in California.

The Rainbows overcame a 6-1 deficit after two innings, only to lose a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth on Brandon Marcelli's three-run home run off Guy McDowell.

The Rainbows (8-7 WAC, 24-15 overall) remained tied for second with Nevada because of San Jose State's 10-3 win against the Wolf Pack (8-7, 23-19) yesterday. But the Bulldogs (7-8, 19-24) pulled to within a game of both teams. Rice (16-1, 33-7) still picked up a half game on UH and Nevada after its game at Louisiana Tech was postponed because of rain.

Hawai'i led 8-6 entering the bottom of the sixth with McDowell pitching into his fifth inning for starter Clary Carlsen, KO'd after giving up six runs in 1 1/3 innings. DeAndre Miller led off with a walk and stopped at second after Nick Moresi's single.

Ryan Haag flied out to deep center, allowing both runners to advance one base before Chris Patrick's sacrifice fly to center pulled FSU to 8-7.

Trapasso then ordered an intentional walk to Richie Robnett, 5 for 7 in the series before that plate appearance. But instead of bringing in Darrell Fisherbaugh as he had planned, Trapasso stayed with McDowell, who also gave up a home run to David Gomez after Marcelli's shot.

"I totally screwed that up," Trapasso said. "I blame myself for that entire inning. I walked Robnett with the intent to bring in Fish (Fisherbaugh) and it was just a stupid move on my part not to go through with it."

It was a heart-breaker for the Rainbows. After getting shut out the previous night, UH exploded with four home runs — a solo shot by Andrew Sansaver in the second, a two-run blast by Rocky Russo after an RBI double by Jaziel Mendoza in the third, a sixth-inning lead-off shot by Brian Finegan to pull UH within 6-5, followed two batters later by Matt Inouye's two-run smash that gave the Rainbows a 7-6 lead.

Hawai'i cushioned its lead with a run in the sixth to make it 8-6.

"I think everybody in the park thought we were done, except for our kids," Trapasso said. "I'm so proud of the way they battled back and I feel so terrible for them (because) of making a stupid move, or a non-move."

After pitching three consecutive complete games, Carlsen lasted only 13 batters. He saw FSU's entire batting order in a four-run first inning. The only out he got in a two-run second came on a sacrifice.

McDowell (1-1) was charged with five runs, five hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings, the runs all coming in the sixth. It was his second-longest outing of the season.

Gil Infante (1-0) pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings for the Bulldogs.

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