Late San Francisco rally frustrates UH
Advertiser Staff
San Francisco scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning to rally past Hawai'i, 7-4, yesterday in non-conference collegiate baseball at Benedetti Diamond in San Francisco.
The Rainbows (15-18), who saw their modest two-game win streak snapped, were lacking in all phases. They out-hit the Dons, 11-7, but stranded 14 runners, including the bases loaded in the ninth. They committed five errors, three by shortstop Joe Spiers, although none of the five accounted for unearned runs. Guy McDowell and Darrell Fisherbaugh gave up the five runs in the eighth.
"We made errors, we couldn't get hits when we needed them, and we didn't make pitches when we needed them," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "It was a bad game."
The only highlight was four scoreless innings of relief from Rich Olsen, who gave up two hits and struck out five.
But the rest of the UH bullpen could not hold the 3-2 lead provided by starter Ricky Bauer (two runs in two innings) and Olsen.
After pitching a perfect seventh on three fly outs, McDowell (2-3) retired the first batter he faced in the eighth on a liner to right. But Luke Sommer singled, stole second and took third on a wild pitch before Cy Donald (Mililani '01) walked.
McDowell was pulled for Fisherbaugh, whose wild pitch on ball four to pinch hitter Blake Nelson scored pinch runner Andrew Smith with the tying run. After another wild pitch advanced the runners, Royce Fukuroku (Maui '01) was intentionally walked after a 3-1 count. Pinch hitter Joey Railey singled to center to give USF a 4-3 lead. The ball got past center fielder Matt Inouye for an error that allowed another run to score, leaving runners at the corners.
Jon Norfolk grounded to third that resulted in a force at second with a run scoring to make it 6-3. Fisherbaugh was replaced by Dean Turner, who balked the runner to second before giving up an RBI triple to Jonnie Knoble.
The Rainbows' comeback fell short in the top of the ninth against Aaron Poreda (1-0). With two outs, Inouye homered to left. Schafer Magana walked, Erik Ammon was hit by a pitch and Adam Roberts singled to right to load the bases.
When Luis Avila came in to pinch hit for Robbie Wilder, Poreda (one run in 2 2/3 innings) was lifted for Garrett Ozar. Avila fouled out to Ozar, who notched his first save.
Spiers and Greg Kish started the game with singles and Isaac Omura hit an RBI single to give UH a 1-0 lead.
Hawai'i added two runs off USF starter Ryan Muller in the second when Spiers grounded into a double play with the base loaded and later scored on a single by Omura.
The Dons closed to 3-2 in the bottom of the second. The game stayed that way until the eighth.
The Rainbows were without left fielder Nate Thurber, who had a shoulder problem that did not allow him to swing the bat. His status is day-to-day.
Hawai'i heads to Nevada for a Western Athletic Conference series. The Rainbows' starting rotation will be the same with Stephen Bryant tomorrow, Colby Summer on Saturday and Justin Costi on Sunday.
