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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 21, 2009

'Bows split at Oregon tourney

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Mike Trapasso

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After winning an extra-inning thriller earlier in the day, Hawai'i saw its eight-game win streak obliterated shortly after in the Rose City Invitational yesterday in Portland, Ore.

The Rainbows squandered a three-run lead in the ninth only to score two in the 10th to beat Washington, 9-7, in the opener. But tournament-host Portland spoiled the day with a 13-2 drubbing of the Rainbows.

The four-team tournament is being played at PGE Park.

"Frankly, outside of Harry (Kuroda), we didn't pitch well at all," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Yet, to come away 1-1 as bad as we pitched today, I'll take that."

Jayson Kramer gave up four runs in five innings, yet departed with a 7-4 lead with five of UH's runs unearned. Kuroda took over in the sixth and retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced. But the Huskies managed some flare hits off Kuroda, who gave up two runs in the ninth. They got several more flares off Sam Spangler. The only line-drive hit of the three-run ninth was Jake Rife's RBI single that tied the game at 7.

But in the top of the 10th, Vinnie Catricala singled with one out, took second on a groundout to short and scored on Jeffrey Van Doornum's single. After stealing second, Van Doornum scored on Landon Hernandez's double to make it 9-7.

The Huskies started the bottom of the 10th with back-to-back singles before Spangler got a flyout. Troy Scott grounded to short for a force at second, but the game ended when the umpire ruled the runner on first interfered with second baseman Ryan Morford's relay to first, calling the batter out, too.

Trapasso said he was ready to pull Spangler for Josh Slaats if the umpire didn't end the game with the interference call. Spangler (3-0) gave up a run on five hits with two strikeouts.

"I give Washington credit because they put the bat on the ball," Trapasso said. "But you gotta make the pitches and if you're able to keep the ball down, a lot of times balls aren't going to flare on you. But it was huge that our guys didn't think anything of it, offensively, and went out and scored two."

Catricala and Morford led UH's 15-hit attack with three hits apiece.

There was a 25-minute rain delay in the top of the ninth with two runners on and two out.

It was a second tough loss for the Huskies against the Rainbows this season. Hawai'i beat Washington, 3-2, with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to break a 2-all game Feb. 27, at the Minnesota tournament.

The Rainbows' pitching woes were exploited by the Pilots in the second game. Jared Alexander (0-1), the preseason Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, gave up seven runs on seven hits — five for extra bases — in 2 2/3 innings, the shortest outing of his UH career.

"He couldn't get the ball down," Trapasso said. "It shows no matter who you are or who you're playing, if you're throwing balls up in the zone you're going to get hammered."

Alex Capaul didn't fare any better initially, giving up six runs in 6 1/3 innings. However, he kept the Pilots scoreless the last four innings. Because UH's three relief pitchers were extended yesterday and Alex Myers has some arm tenderness, that leaves only Slaats, Ryan Davis, Lenny Linsky and Jesse Moore available for today's Oregon game.

"As bad as he pitched, he found a way to gut his way through it to finish that game," Trapasso said of Capaul. "For him to finish that game and put up four zeros was huge for us."

Hawai'i's bullpen shortage is compounded with Connor Little pushed into the rotation because Nate Klein is out resting a tender forearm. Little is tomorrow's starting pitcher.

Mark Triolo (3-2) gave up two runs, five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings for the Pilots (11-7), winners of four in a row. Garrett Queen supplied the offense, batting 3 for 5 with six RBI, falling a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. He had a two-run homer, two-run double and two-run single.

This was only the second time UH has played Portland. The two played for the first time last year at Arizona State's Coca-Cola Classic tournament with the Pilots winning, 15-8.

"I guess if our streak is going to stop, you might as well do it with a butt-kicking," Trapasso said with a laugh. "I don' t know what it is about Portland. We played them twice and we have a hard time getting those guys outs. They absolutely hammer our pitching. That's two years in a row. The way they're swinging the bat, I look for them to win their league (West Coast Conference)."

Freshman Matt Sisto will start today's game against Oregon, set for 11:30 a.m., Hawai'i time.

"It still starts with our starting pitcher," Trapasso said. "Sisto has to go out and throw the ball down in the zone."

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