Posted at 10:15 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2007
Four-run eighth lifts Hawaii over LaTech in baseball
Advertiser Staff
Hawaii exploded for four runs in the eighth inning to rally past first-place Louisiana Tech, 7-4, Friday in the Western Athletic Conference series opener at Les Murakami Stadium.Justin Frash's RBI single to third tied the game at 4, but the double error on the play allowed another run to score, as well as Frash to make it 6-4. An RBI double by Kris Sanchez made it 7-4.
Matt Daly (3-1) pitched three scoreless innings of relief for the Rainbows (26-15 overall, 7-6 WAC) to pull within two games of first, now shared between Tech and Fresno State, a 7-0 winner against New Mexico State, both of which are 9-4.
Brandon Hudson (4-2) was charged with two runs in three innings for the Bulldogs (29-15, 9-4).
UH starter Mark Rodrigues went five-plus innings, allowing two runs, five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Tech starter Luke Burnett went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned), five hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
The Bulldogs struck first in the fourth. With one out, Jericho Jones and Brian Rike walked in succession before Courtney Jones flied out to left. After the runners advanced on a balk by Rodrigues, Brandon Hudson hit a bad-hop single over first baseman Kris Sanchez to drive in the runners to give Tech a 2-0 lead. Dennis Winn then bunted for a single before Albie Goulder flied out to left to end the inning.
The Rainbows tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Justin Frash led off with a walk and Brandon Haislet lined a home run to left, his fourth of the season, to make it 2-2.
Hawaii took the lead and chased Burnett in the fifth. With one out, Matt Roquemore walked and stole second. After Frash struck out, Haislet's single to left moved Roquemore to third. A passed ball scored Roquemore and moved Haislet to second before Burnett walked Sanchez. Burnett was lifted for Brandon Hudson, who started the game at DH, to face Vinnie Catricala, who struck out to end the inning with UH ahead, 3-2.
Tech threatened in the sixth when Jericho Jones and Rike hit back-to-back singles off Rodrigues, who was pulled for Jayson Kramer. Courtney Jones was called out on strikes and Hudson struck and Jericho Jones was caught stealing third for the inning-ending double play to preserve Rodrigues' lead.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases against Kramer to start the seventh with two singles and a walk before Matt Daly was brought in from the bullpen. Daly's first pitch was wild, allowing the tying run to score and advance the other runners before walking pinch hitter Drew Bunting to load the bases. Adam Cobb grounded to short for a force at home to reload the bases, but Jericho Jones' sacrifice fly to right put Tech ahead, 4-3. before Daly struck out Rike to end the inning.
