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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:54 p.m., Saturday, March 14, 2009

Rainbows top Loyola Marymount for sixth win in a row

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kevin Macdonald

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Hawai'i bats came around late to turn back Loyola Marymount, 9-5, tonight to extend its win streak to six and give the Rainbows a 3-0 lead in the four-game series before 2,161 at Les Murakami Stadium.

Kevin Macdonald's three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh rallied UH from a 5-3 deficit.

Harrison Kuroda (3-0) went 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Rainbows (9-6).

Jason Wheeler (0-2) gave up four runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief for the Lions (8-10), losers of eight consecutive.

Jared Alexander, making his third start on a set pitch limit for UH, went a season-high five innings, allowed three runs, all unearned, four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He has yet to give up an earned run in 13 innings this season.

The Rainbows took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Landon Hernandez led off with homer to left, his first of the season. One out later, Matt Roquemore singled up the middle and stole second when Easton Torigoe struck out swinging. Sean Montplaisir's flare single to left scored Roquemore to make it 2-0; Montplaisir took second on the throw home. Greg Garcia grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Lions took the lead in the fourth, 3-2 with all the runs being unearned.

Kyle Spraker walked on four pitches after falling behind 0-2 and took second when Ryan Wheeler reached on second baseman Shane Hoey's throwing error to first. After a visit from UH coach Mike Trapasso, Alexander struck out Trevor Gee. But T.J. Bernardy's sacrifice fly to right scored Spraker to pull LMU to 2-1, as Wheeler advanced to third. Ryan Hawthorne followed with a two-run single to left to put LMU ahead, 3-2.

Hawai'i tied it in the fifth. With one out, Kolten Wong walked on four pitches and took second when Vinnie Catricala grounded out to shortstop. Kevin Macdonald then double down the left-field line to score Wong to tie the game at 3.

The Lions regained the lead in the seventh against Ryan Davis. With two outs, Shon Roe singled to left and Jonathan Johnson walked on four pitches.

Spraker's RBI single to right moved Johnson to third and gave LMU a 4-3 lead. Ryan Wheeler's RBI single sent Spraker to second and made it 5-3. The left-handed Davis was pulled for the right-handed Harrison Kuroda, who struck out Angelo Songco to end the inning.

The Rainbows took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh. Garcia led off with a walk on four pitches from right-handed Gillingham, who was then pulled for the left-handed Jason Wheeler to face the left-handed hitting Wong, whose single to center sent Garcia to second. Catricala was called out on strikes, but Macdonald drilled a three-run home run to left-center to put UH ahead, 6-5. Hernandez flied out to left before Hoey walked. Roquemore doubled to left, but Hoey was caught in a rundown between home and third for the third out.

Hawai'i added insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Torigoe led off with a walk and was lifted for pinch runner Ryan Morford. Montplaisir walked to put runners at first and second. Both advanced on Garcia's sacrifice to third.

Wheeler was lifted for the right-handed Jeremy Burrell. With the infield drawn in, both runners scored on a wild pitch on an 0-2 count on Wong. LMU coach Jason Gill was ejected by home plate umpire Billy Haze for arguing the second runner scoring on a close play at the plate. Wong eventually walked and took second on Catricala's flare single to center. Macdonald struck out, but Hernandez's flare single to right scored Wong to make it 9-5 and send Catricala to third. Hoey flied out to right to end the inning.