Rainbows topple Vulcans in baseball, 6-3

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	WHO: Hawai'i-Hilo (4-12) vs. Hawai'i-Manoa (6-5) WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium WHEN: 6:35 today and 1:05 p.m. tomorrow TICKETS: $6 blue and orange sections, $5 adults in red section, $4 for 65 and older in red section, $3 for UH students and students ages 4-18 in red section. PARKING: $3 RADIO/TV: KKEA AM 1420/KFVE for tomorrow's game only

Sophomore Guy McDowell pitched a scoreless 1¡ innings for the Rainbows' first save of the season that allowed starter Ricky Bauer (3-1) to match a single-season career-high in victories before 1,222 at Les Murakami Stadium.

The Rainbows (6-5) won their fifth in a row in going over .500 for the first time this season, while the Vulcans (4-12) have lost five straight.

Bauer cruised along for seven innings before faltering in the eighth, when the Vulcans averted the shutout with an RBI ground-rule double by Jonathan Cabral and a two-run single by Kaliko Oligo. A single by Sean Tamura chased Bauer, putting runners at first and second. McDowell came in and struck out Johnny Dudoit on three pitches to end the threat.

McDowell walked the lead-off batter in the ninth on four pitches, but minimized the damage by getting pinch hitter Kahekili Santos to ground into a double play. McDowell then struck out Chris Savio to end the game.

"I'm glad he was able to stay in there," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "He was about a pitch away from coming out in the ninth. But he was able to find (his control), get the double play, and was able to close it out.

"Of all the guys, he probably has all the stuff you want from a closer. But we were going to (Rich) Olsen real quick, and I was to send Clary (Carlsen) down to get loose as well. But he got the job done."

What McDowell did was save Carlsen from having to close and increase his chances of starting tomorrow. Stephen Bryant will get the start tonight for the Rainbows.

"You don't want to use (Carlsen), but he's there and we set the rotation up the way we have to use him in an emergency situation, Trapasso said. "But that's the way you want it. The guys you bring in come in and answer the bell and get the job done. You start developing a staff and guys fall into roles that way."

McDowell said he likes coming in during pressure situations.

"I just have to throw strikes, trust my defense," McDowell said. "I just have to remember to throw the ball in the zone, be aggressive, trust my team."

As for the lead-off walk in the ninth, McDowell said he got too fine with his pitches.

"I tried to get that first strike over, rather than being aggressive," he said.

Bauer was his usual in-control self for seven innings.

"I told coach I could go another inning," Bauer said. "I was just a little tired (in the eighth)."

Bauer's consecutive innings streak without allowing an earned run was stopped at 23¡. He allowed eight hits, five coming in the eighth, while not walking anyone with seven strikeouts. He was backed by two double plays. Bauer left having thrown a season-high 93 pitches. He had eight grounders netting 10 outs.

"You could tell he was fatigued and just lost it," Trapasso said of Bauer's final inning. "I'm glad the bullpen was able to get the job done."

Andrew Sansaver ignited the Rainbows' attack with a two-out, first-inning, bases-clearing double to give UH a 3-0 lead against UHH starter John Matson (1-1). It was an important hit because the runners did not get aboard until there were two outs. Sansaver hit the first pitch from Matson, a 6-foot-6 left-hander.

"I thought I'd see something away and he was throwing a lot of fastballs to everybody else on the first pitch," Sansaver said. "So I thought, 'Fastball away' and I hit it pretty solid down the left-field line."

The Rainbows added single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings against Matson, who went six innings, allowing six runs— four earned.

Sansaver not only helped the Rainbows offensively, but on defense as well. He saved third baseman Creighton Kahoali'i of a throwing error in the sixth inning. Kahoali'i sailed a throw high that Sansaver hauled in with a leap and one-foot landing on the bag for the out.

"That was unreal," Kahoali'i said. "He makes my job easier. I know I've made it hard for him so I hope I can make his job easier."

The series continues tonight at 6:35. Left-hander Scott Siegfried will start for UHH.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.