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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, February 20, 2005

Rainbows outlast Pacific in baseball

 •  Game statistics

By Stacy kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Isaac Omura's two-out, bases-loaded walk forced the winning run home in the bottom of the 10th as Hawai'i rallied to a 9-8 non-conference collegiate baseball win last night.

ISAAC OMURA

A Bracket Buster-aided crowd of 2,796 — the most this season — watched the Rainbows (5-2) clinch the four-game series against the Tigers (5-5) at Les Murakami Stadium. According to UH, 1,266 redeemed their tickets from yesterday's UH basketball game for a free ticket to the baseball game.

It was not a pretty win for the Rainbows, who committed four errors that accounted for five unearned runs.

"Defensively, we can't play like that," Trapasso said. "We cannot make errors early in the game like that. We're lucky to come away with that and feel good because we competed and were able to tie it up when a lot of teams might fold. But we have to be ready tomorrow because that was a crazy game and those guys are fired up over there."

Guy McDowell (1-0) blew a save in the ninth when Brandon Gottier's two-run double tied the game at 7, and Jordan Seiber's line double off third baseman Jonathan Hee's glove gave Pacific an 8-7 lead.

McDowell came in for Rich Olsen, who went three innings for starter Colby Summer. Olsen walked four, including one that put the tying run on in the ninth.

"I did not like the way we pitched," Trapasso said. "We gave up too many freebies. The ninth inning, you can't walk the tying run. You got a situation where you got to make 'em earn it. We got beat twice, not throwing our best pitch, but our secondary pitch, a changeup on Olsen and a slider by McDowell. But to be honest, you have to give credit to their hitter (Gottier), he hit a good pitch; he did what you're supposed to do, hit it the opposite way."

The Rainbows tied it in the bottom of the ninth. Jose Castaneda was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second and third on separate wild pitches. With the infield drawn in, Matt Inouye grounded single just to the right of second baseman Anthony Jackson to tie the game at 8.

The Rainbows rallied from a 5-2 deficit with a five-run sixth capped by Omura's two-run single that gave them a 7-5 lead, only to see the Tigers score three in the top of the ninth to take an 8-7 lead. But UH scored one in the ninth to force extra innings.

In the UH 10th, Hee reached on shortstop Dale Hall's fielding error and reached second when pitcher Eric Stolp's throw to second pulled the fielder off the bag on Derek Dupree's bunt. Luis Avila, who came to pinch-hit in the sixth, sacrificed the runners.

"We work on executing bunting all the time with everybody equally," Trapasso said. "He made it look easy. He really did a nice job."

Joe Spiers was intentionally walked to load the bases for Greg Kish, who struck out. Omura ran the count full before drawing the walk that plated the winning run against Stolp (0-2). Catcher Ryan Amos argued the call to no avail.

"It showed character even though today wasn't our best day," Omura said of the team's comeback. "They took advantage when we made mistakes."

Hawai'i fell behind 2-0 in the second inning when with one out and runners at second and third, Summer fielded a line drive from Ramon Glasgow, but threw wildly to third trying to double-off the runner, allowing both runners to score.

But the Rainbows tied it in the bottom half on Dupree's two-run triple to right-center.

The Tigers regained the lead in the third on Jerin Harper's two-run home run to left. They added a run in the sixth because of two UH errors. With one out, Gottier reached on a two-base fielding error by third baseman Schafer Magana. After a 2-0 count on Seiber, Summer was lifted for Olsen, who allowed a single to left. Gottier stopped at third, but scored when left fielder Robbie Wilder mishandled the ball to give UOP a 5-2 lead.

But the Rainbows sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run sixth. Omura's two-run single on an 0-2 pitch put UH ahead, 7-5.

"I was looking for something to put in play, (to put) something on the ground so I could at least get the run home," Omura said.

The series concludes today at 1:05 p.m.

NOTES

As part of a corporate sponsorship of today's game, Sodexho will be giving out an MP3 player as a lucky seat prize after the second inning. After the third inning and sixth innings a bicycle will be given away as an onfield promotion in conjunction with McCully Bicycle. Also, Sodexho will be giving away coupons to the first 350 fans that will allow fans to upgrade from a 32-ounce drink to a 44-ounce drink.

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

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