'Bows open with a win

Hawaii pitcher Steven Wright starts the season in style, limiting the Aztecs to just a pair of runs

Hawaii made the most of six hits to back a strong outing by starter Steven Wright to open the 2006 baseball season with a 6-2 victory over San Diego State last night.

Wright and two relievers held the Aztecs to four hits in the nonconference game before a crowd of 1,428 at Les Murakami Stadium.

HAWAII - 6 SDSU - 2 NEXT UP vs. SDSU tonight

"We able to make some things happen tonight. We were fortunate to get the leadoff hitter on base and we got some help from them with the walks (6) and hit batters (2)," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said.

"The Aztecs are a good offensive team. They hit some line-drives right at people. Getting a couple more runs in the eighth made it more breathable."

The Aztecs jumped on Wright for three hits and two runs in the second inning.

Curt Mendoza singled to center with one out, but was forced at second on Tim O'Brien's grounder to third, O'Brien just beating Jon Hee's relay to first. Jordan Swaydan followed with a first-pitch, line single to center and both runners scored on an opposite-field double to the alley in left by Joseph Scaperotta.

"I think I was trying to do too much in the beginning. I was rushing my body and overthrowing," Wright said. "It was a reality check. I settled down and that is really all mental. You just tell yourself to stay within yourself."

The Rainbows got their first hit off SDSU starter and 2005 Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year Bruce Billings in the third en route tying the score at 2-2.

Joe Spiers drew a two-out walk and scored on Hee's triple to left-center field on a 1-1 pitch. After Kevin Frash was hit by a pitch, Kris Sanchez lined Billings' first pitch to left scoring Hee.

The 'Bows took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Jorge Franco singled to center, stole second and scored on Esteban Lopez's ground single to right.

A lead-off walk to Spiers cost Billings another run in the fifth.

Spiers took second on Hee's sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Matt Inouye's single to left.

Billings gave up five hits, walked four and struck out six in five innings. Michael Koons relieved him in the sixth.

Wright was finish after seven innings and 98 pitches. The only hits he allowed were in the second. The junior right-hander did not walk a batter and fanned four. Wright also got 14 outs on balls hit to the infield.

"Steven was fired up and his pitches were up in the early part, but you couldn't ask for anything more from a pitcher on opening day," Trapasso said.

"He had thrown 75 pitches in his last outing (intrasquad) so he had a limit of between 90 and 100 pitches. I almost took him out earlier, but he said he still felt strong."

Junior right-hander Tyler Davis replaced Wright to start the eighth. He walked Scaperotta to start the inning and gave up a single to Nick Romero.

After Quintin Berry sacrificed the runners up a base, pinch-hitter Joey Huskins sent a sinking liner to left on Davis' first pitch that Franco charged and caught at his ankles to hold the runners.

Trapasso then brought closer Darrell Fisherbaugh in from the bullpen. He fanned Lance Zawadzki on a 3-2 pitch to end the Aztecs' threat.

Hawaii added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth that began with a walk to Kris Sanchez. He was sacrificed to second by Inouye and scored on Franco's single to right. Franco stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Eli Christensen's sacrifice fly to center.

Since 1971, the Rainbows are 27-9 in season openers against collegiate teams.

The series continues with a game tonight at 6:35. Probable starters are left-hander Ian Harrington for UH and right-hander Justin Masterson for SDSU.

Hawaii 6, San Diego St. 2

SDSU	AB	R	H	BI	HAWAII	AB	R	H	BI
Berry, cf	3	0	0	0	Spiers, 3b	3	2	0	0
Kinsman, 1b	3	0	0	0	Hee, 2b	3	1	1	1
Huskins, ph1b	1	0	0	0	Frash, dh	2	0	0	0
Zawadzki, ss	4	0	0	0	Sanchez, 1b	3	1	1	1
Ungricht, dh	4	0	0	0	Inouye, rf	2	0	1	1
Mendoza, rf	4	0	1	0	Franco, lf	4	2	2	1
O'Brien, 3b	4	1	0	0	Lopez, c	2	0	1	1
Swaydan, c	3	1	1	0	Christensen, ss	3	0	0	1
Scaperotta, lf	2	0	1	2	Wilder, cf	4	0	0	0
Romero, 2b	3	0	1	0	Dupree, cf	0	0	0	0
Totals	31	2	4	2	Totals	26	6	6	6
San Diego St.		020	000	000	--	2	4	3
Hawaii			002	110	02x	--	6	6	2

E--Zawadzki; Swaydan; Billings; Spiers; Sanchez. DP--SDSU 2, Hawaii 1. LOB--SDSU 4, Hawaii 7. 2B--Scaperotta. 3B--Hee. SH--Berry; Hee; Inouye. SF--Christiansen. SB--Inouye; Franco 2.

SDSU	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Billings (L, 0-1)	5	5	4	4	4	6
Koons	3	1	2	2	2	0
HAWAII	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Wright (W, 1-0)	7	3	2	2	0	4
Davis	2/3	1	0	0	1	0
Fisherbaugh	1 1/3	0	0	0	0	1

WP--Billings, Koons. HBP--by Billings (Fresh); by Koons (Lopez).

Umpires--Cary Izuka (plate), Mike Evans (first), Jim LeBeau (third).

T--2:34. A--1, 428.