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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:29 p.m., Saturday, April 4, 2009

Rainbows' late rally thwarts San Jose State, 7-5

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kevin Macdonald

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Harrison Kuroda

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Hawai'i rallied for five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to turn back San Jose State, 7-5, to take the first game of a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader today at Les Murakami Stadium.

Kevin Macdonald's two-run single with the bases loaded scored the tying and go-ahead runs off SJSU closer Anthony Vega (0-3).

Harrison Kuroda (4-1) pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Rainbows (18-9 overall, 2-0 WAC). Sam Spangler pitched a perfect ninth for this second save.

Neither starter figured in the decision. Jared Alexander allowed five runs, seven hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings for the Rainbows. Max Peterson, lasted only 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, three hits and seven walks for the Spartans (19-7, 0-2).

Trailing 5-2 in the UH eighth, Matt Roquemore led off with a single to center and scored on Sean Montplaisir's double to right. Greg Garcia's single to right moved Montplaisir to third. Jack Adams was pulled for Anthony Vega, who was greeted by an RBI single to left by Ryan Morford that moved Garcia to third. Vinnie Catricala was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Against a drawn-in infield, Macdonald grounded a two-run single up the middle to put UH ahead, 6-5, and send Catricala to third. Vega was pulled for Steve Connolly. With the infield still drawn in, Kolten Wong singled to center to score Catricala to make it 7-5, as Macdonald stopped at second. Macdonald was picked off second by the catcher with Landon Hernandez at the plate.

The Spartans jumped on Alexander in the second for three runs. With one out, Jacob Bruns singled to right and took second on Corey Valine's single to short. Anthony Rona's RBI single to right moved Valine to second. Anthony Aguilera's ground out to third scored Valine to make it 2-0, as Rona took third. Tommy Gale walked to put runners at the corner. Craig Hertler's RBI single made it 3-0 before Kyle Bellows popped out to short.

The Rainbows squandered a golden opportunity in the second when they loaded the bases with no out a walk by Hernandez, single by Jeffrey Van Doornum and walk by Roquemore. But Peterson struck out Shane Hoey and Garcia, then was saved when right fielder Bruns made a diving catch of Morford's line drive.

Macdonald's one out, solo home run down the right-field line pulled UH to 3-1 in the bottom of the third.

The Spartans added two in the fourth, chasing Alexander in the process. With one out, Rona singled and took third on Aguilera's single to right. Gale's ground single to right scored Rona and sent Aguilera to second. Alexander was pulled for Kuroda. Hertler reached first when he grounded to short for a force at second to put runners at the corners. Bellows singled to left to score Aguilera to make it 5-1.

Van Doornum led off the fourth with a home run to right-center to make it 5-2. Roquemore walked, took second on Hoey's sacrifice and went to third on a wild pitch. Garcia walked to put runners at the corners. Peterson was lifted for Luke Mazzanti. Morford reached first on a fielder's choice grounder to short in which Roquemore was thrown out at the plate, as Garcia stopped at second. Catricala grounded out to third to end the inning.