Posted on: Sunday, May 2, 2004

Nevada beats UH to avoid sweep, 8-3

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff

Freshman Ryan Rodriguez pitched seven strong innings to lead Nevada over Hawai'i, 8-3, to avert a sweep and pull to one game behind the second-place Rainbows in the Western Athletic Conference standings.

The Rainbows (10-8 WAC, 26-16 overall) fell 6ý games behind idle Rice, while the Wolf Pack (9-9, 24-22) are tied for third with Fresno State (8-8). Fresno State's game at Louis-iana Tech last night was postponed because of rain. A doubleheader sweep today could pull the Bulldogs into a tie for second with the Rainbows.

"I can't say enough about how important winning tonight's game was," Nevada coach Gary Powers said. "It's a two-game swing in the conference standings from our standpoint. Instead of leaving here three games behind these guys (UH), we're leaving here one, going home knowing we play again next weekend and knowing we still have to play these guys at our place. So whoever wants to finish second is going to have to earn it."

A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 2,165 watched Rodriguez (3-6) allow single runs in each of the first three innings, but throw blanks over the next four, allowing eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Chris Scott tacked on two scoreless innings.

Meanwhile, UH starter Clary Carlsen (6-5) was tagged for six runs on nine hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 4¡ innings; it was his second consecutive outing in which he allowed six runs. Although he warmed the two previous nights — he was on stand-by for relief, a status he held earlier in the season — UH coach Mike Trapasso said the extra tosses were not a factor in his performance last night.

If anything, last night's game revealed how injuries affected what was considered to be UH's strength at the start of the season: depth. The Rainbows were without their leading hitter, Greg Kish (.383) because of an ankle sprain and without closer Darrell Fisherbaugh because of a sore shoulder.

Without the bat that Kish might have provided, the Rainbows had a tough time stringing together big innings when they had their chances against Rodriguez, who entered the game with a 6.83 earned run average.

Brian Finegan led off the first with a double, only to advance to third and score on successive ground outs.

Isaac Omura's first home run of the season was a solo blast to right-center.

Matt Inouye's RBI single followed a one out double by Andrew Sansaver. That was only one of two times UH had back-to-back hits.

While a sweep would have been sweet, the Rainbows were fortunate to win the series and maintain second place, Trapasso said.

"To do what we did in the series, I think you have to tip your hat to our guys," Trapasso said. "That was good weekend for us. You hate to lose the third game after you win the first two. This is a very good club (Nevada). To win the series was the objective coming in and we were able to do that, so it makes you feel even better about the weekend."

Trailing 2-0, Nevada took the lead in the third when it scored three off Carlsen. Joe Mercer's two out RBI single was followed by Chris Gimenez's two-run towering home run to right to make it 3-2.

Inouye's RBI single tied the game at 3, but Nevada added two more in the fourth and chased Carlsen in the fifth after Gimenez (3 for 5) tripled.

Keahi Rawlins, who replaced Carlson, helped the Wolf Pack with his wildness in the sixth. He walked the first batter of the inning and hit the next two to load the bases. Chuck Withers kept the damage to a minimum by allowing an RBI single to Jacob Butler and sacrifice fly to Mercer to make it 8-3.

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