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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:58 p.m., Saturday, April 11, 2009

Wong's home run, 5 RBI lead Rainbows past Nevada, 13-11

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kolten Wong

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Kolten Wong batted 4 for 5 with five RBI to help No. 23 Hawai'i knock off Nevada, 13-11, today in Western Athletic Conference baseball at Peccole Park in Reno, Nev.

Wong's team-leading seventh home run of the season came in the top of the ninth in a game that was resumed from last night when rain suspended it after the top of the second inning.

Matt Sisto (4-2) pitched 6 1/3 innings of relief for starter Jared Alexander, who pitched an inning the night before. Josh Slaats allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings for his fourth save for the Rainbows (21-11 overall, 4-2 WAC).

Jayson McClaren (1-1), who came in relief of starter Chris Garcia, who pitched two innings the night before, gave up five runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings for the Wolf Pack (15-17, 4-2).

The second game is slated for about 1:15 p.m., HST. The fourth game of the series has been canceled.

When play resumed, the Rainbows scored again in the third. Greg Garcia tripled with one out and scored when Ryan Morford grounded out to shortstop to make it 7-4 against McClaren, who started the inning on the mound for Nevada.

The Wolf Pack tied it in the third againat Sisto. Shaun Kort walked to start the inning and took second on Tyson Jaquez's single to right. Nick Melino's RBI single sent Jaquez to second and pulled Nevada to 7-5. Brock Stassi did

the same to make it 7-6. Nick Leid reached on a force at third on a bunt to first, putting runners and first and second. Travis Simas' single to left scored Stassi to tie the game at 7, as Leid took second. Joe Kohan flied out to right, advancing Leid to third. Matt Bowman struck out to end the inning.

Nevada regained the lead in the fourth. Westley Moss reached first on a fielding error by shortstop Garcia, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Kort's double to right to give Nevada an 8-7 lead. Kort went to third on Melino's single to right. Stassi flied out to right and Kort was thrown out trying to score on right fielder Matt Roquemore's throw to catcher Hernandez to end the inning.

Hawai'i tied it in the fifth. Roquemore single to left with one out and took second when Garcia grounded out to the pitcher trying to bunt his way on. Morford reached on a single to third, but Roquemore scored and Morford took second on third baseman Jazquez's throwing error, tying the game at 8. Vinnie Catricala grounded out to the catcher to end the inning.

The Rainbows took the lead against in the seventh. Sean Montplaisir doubled to left-center, but could only move to third on Roquemore's double to right because apparently it was hard to tell if the fly would be caught. Against a drawn-in infield, Garcia's ground single to right scored Montplaisir and sent Roquemore to third. Roquemore scored and Garcia took second when Morford ground out to short to make it 10-8. McClaren was pulled for Tyler Graham, who was greeted with an RBI double by Catricala. Macdonald grounded out to third, holding the runner at second. Catricala took third on a wild pitch and scored on Kolten Wong's singe to right to make it 12-8. Wong was caught stealing to end the inning.

Nevada pulled to within one in the eighth. Bowman led off with a single to center and one out later, took third on Kort's double to center. Sisto was pulled for Josh Slaats. A passed ball scored Bowman and moved Kort to third before Jaquez walked. Melino's two-run double to right pulled Nevada to 12-11; Melino took third on right fielder Roquemore. Melino was out trying to score on fielder's choice grounder to first that allowed Stassi to take second. Leid grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Rainbows added an insurance run in the ninth. Catricala singled to left and took second on Macdonald's sacrifice. Catricala was picked off second. Wong then homered to center to make it 13-11. Graham was pulled for Sammy Miller, who retired Hernandez on a fly to left.

Before yesterday's game was suspended, the Rainbows jumped on left-hander Chris Garcia by sending nine batters to the plate in a three-run first. The left-handed hitting Greg Garcia led off the game with a home run to right, his first of the season. Morford walked, took second on a wild pitch before Catricala walked. Macdonald's single to right-center scored Morford and moved Catricala to third. Kolten Wong's single between the mound and first scored Catricala and sent Macdonald to second to give UH a 3-0 lead. Landon Hernandez popped out to short, Jeffey Van Doornum struck out, but Sean Montplaisir walked to load the bases. Matt Roquemore grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Wolf Pack wasted little time picking up where they left off, scoring four the bottom of the first off UH starter Jared Alexander. Matt Bowman led off with a single to left, took second on Westley Moss' single to center and went to third when Kort grounded to second for a double play. Jaquez's single to right scored Bowman to pull UN to 3-1. Nick Melino's RBI double made it 3-2. Stassi homered to right to give the Wolf Pack a 4-3 lead before Simas grounded out to second to end the inning.

Hawai'i sent eight batters up in a three-run second to retake the lead. Morford walked with one out and took third on Catricala's double to center. Macdonald struck out, but Wong's two-run double to left-center put UH ahead, 5-4. Van Doornum's RBI single up the middle moved Hernandez to second. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, but Montplaisir grounded out to first.