Offensive outburst lifts 'Bows over LaTech
Advertiser Staff
At Louisiana Tech's J.C. Love Field, there is no such thing as a safe lead. Hawai'i knew it and scored in seven of nine innings to beat the Bulldogs, 13-7, last night in Western Athletic Conference action in Ruston, La.
"We felt we needed a game like that, the way we used our bullpen (Thursday) night," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "We knew to feel comfortable in that situation in that ballpark, you can't have enough runs. We did a good job of (scoring)."
The Rainbows (2-3 WAC, 16-10 overall) evened the series at 1 against the Bulldogs (2-3, 11-17). The rubber game is at 9 a.m., HST, today.
Every UH starter had at least one hit and each either scored or drove in at least a run. Isaac Omura led the 16-hit assault by batting 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
"Isaac finally broke out," Trapasso said of Omura, who entered the game batting .171.
Brian Finegan, Matt Inouye, Andrew Sansaver, Nate Thurber and Creighton Kahoali'i each had two hits. Josh Green ignited UH's attack on Bulldogs starter Blake Burns (3-2) with a home run to lead off the second inning. Burns allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits in 3á innings.
Greg Kish extended his hitting streak to 11 games by leading off UH's three-run third with a single.
UH starter Stephen Bryant overcame a shaky first inning, when Brandon Haygood led off with a home run on the first pitch in a two-run inning. Bryant issued two of his three walks in the first before settling down.
"The lead-off home run was actually off a good pitch," Trapasso said. "But then he started nibbling after that and you can't walk people because on one swing of the bat, you can hit the ball out of here."
Bryant (3-2) went 6á innings, allowing six runs — three unearned — on nine hits and three walks. He had a career-high eight strikeouts. Rich Olsen pitched 2¡ innings, giving up a run, for his second save.
Olsen came in during the seventh, when the Bulldogs pulled to 9-6 after an RBI triple by Stephen Winters. After allowing an RBI double to pinch hitter Will Wade, Olsen got the third out to preserve the lead.
Jeff Walker led off the ninth with a home run, but Olsen got the next three batters to end the game.
