Posted on: Saturday, March 26, 2005
Baseball 'Bows lose opener at Fresno, 6-3
Advertiser Staff
Matt Garza struck out 11 and Nick Moresi batted 4 for 4 with three RBIs to lead Fresno State over Hawai'i, 6-3, last night in Western Athletic Conference baseball at Beiden Field in Fresno, Calif.
The Rainbows (13-14 overall, 1-3 WAC) have lost four in a row and dropped to under .500 for the first time this season.
Garza (2-3) gave up two runs on four hits and two walks in seven innings. Brandon Miller gave up a run in the eighth and Ryan Penn pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save for the Bulldogs (15-15, 1-0), winners of four straight.
Moresi had a first-inning RBI double and a two-run single in FSU's four-run second against UH starter Steven Wright (3-3), who allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk with four strikeouts in his second start of the season.
Also, UH junior outfielder Jose Castaneda was sent home yesterday for disciplinary reasons, Trapasso said. His status with the team has yet to be determined.
Freshman Ryan Asato, not originally on the travel squad, joined the team about an hour before game time yesterday to replace Castaneda, who was hitting .228, but was second on the team with 13 RBIs. Asato entered the game in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter for left fielder Jeff Piaskowski and stayed in to play right field for Greg Kish, who is still experiencing some problems with his right (throwing) elbow. In a related move, catcher Erik Ammon moved to left field for Piaskowski. Trapasso said it is possible that Ammon may also get playing time in the outfield.
"Ammon's been swinging great and (catcher) Esteban Lopez has been swinging much better as of late, coming out of his funk," Trapasso said. "We're getting to a point where we need to get both in the lineup."
Garza had the Rainbows hitless until one out in the fifth, when Schafer Magana reached on a single to shortstop.
They would not score until the seventh. Adam Roberts singled off Garza's leg and one out later, took second on Magana's single to left. After the runners advanced when Joe Spiers grounded out pitcher to first, Ammon's two-run single pulled UH to 6-2.
The Rainbows scored again in the eighth against Miller. Isaac Omura led off with a double to left, then with one out, took third when Lopez grounded out to shortstop and scored on Roberts' single to left.
The Bulldogs scored off Wright in the first when Moresi's double scored DeAndre Miller from first after he reached when he was hit by a pitch.
Christian Vitters' two-run double and Moresi's two-run single in the second made it 5-0.
An error by second baseman Omura with runners at the corners led to the sixth run for Fresno State.
The series continues at 4:35 p.m. today, Hawai'i time. The Rainbows will send Stephen Bryant (4-0, 1.90) against Michael Cooper (2-1, 3.33) in a battle of right-handers. The game will be broadcast live on KKEA (1420 AM).
"All I know is he got the job done and we didn't," UH coach Mike Trapasso said of Garza.
Mike Trapasso
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