RAINBOW BASEBALL
’Bows win seventh straight game
Hawaii can sweep USC today after beating the No. 24 Trojans 7-3 yesterday
The Hawaii Rainbows won their fourth consecutive series of the season by defeating No. 24 Southern California 7-3 last night at Les Murakami Stadium.
The biggest crowd (3,481) of the season watched the Rainbows (11-2) win their seventh consecutive game.
Joe Spiers led the 12-hit UH offense with a 3-for-4 night, including a double and three RBI.
Jon Hee, Justin Frash and Kris Sanchez all paired hits.
UH's Ian Harrington and Tyler Davis combined to scatter 14 USC hits, and the first UH error in the series didn't occur until the ninth inning last night.
"We are making the routine plays in the field and that's all you can ask," said UH coach Mike Trapasso.
"When you only give up three runs on 14 hits you are fortunate. You are fortunate to get some big outs when you need them."
USC (7-7) scored first. Baron Frost doubled to the alley in right-center field to start the second inning. He scored on consecutive groundouts by Roberto Lopez and Darin Vieira to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead.
The Rainbows, held to one hit through the first three innings by USC's starter, freshman right-hander Ryan Cook, scored four runs in the fourth inning.
Hee singled to left field and stopped at second on Frash's ground single to right. Luis Avila was hit by a 1-1 pitch, loading the bases.
USC coach Mike Gillespie called junior right-hander Shawn Olsen in from the bullpen. Olsen walked Matt Inouye on four pitches to force Hee home.
Sanchez singled to right, scoring Frash, with the bases remaining loaded. A wild pitch by Olsen sent Avila home and moved Inouye to third.
Olsen then fanned Jorge Franco and Esteban Lopez, but Spiers bounced a one-strike pitch into center to score Inouye.
"For a while I wasn't seeing the ball that well, but, for me, it was more trying not to think too much around the plate. I worked on my hands, my lower body, but it was more mental, just see the ball and hit the ball," said Spiers.
The Trojans settled for one run in the fifth after setting the stage for a big inning. Hector Estrella, Matt Cusick and Blake Sharpe singled, loading the bases with one out.
Cyle Hankerd, USC's leading hitter, ripped Harrington's first pitch toward Frash, who was playing third. Frash bobbled the ball once, losing a chance for the double play, but got the out at first as Estrella scored.
Frost, who was 4-for-6 coming to the plate in the series, was retired on a routine fly to right to end the inning.
The Rainbows increased their lead to 6-2 in the sixth when Sanchez singled to right with one out and stopped at second on a strange single by Franco.
Franco topped a slow-rolling ball up the third-base line that slid foul briefly but was not touched by a Trojan, then rolled back into fair territory.
Lopez drew a walk, loading the bases. Spiers took two quick strikes, worked the count to 2-2, fouled off a pitch, then singled to center, scoring Sanchez and Franco.
Harrington went six innings, but when he surrendered his 10th hit to start the seventh, Davis took over. The junior right-hander retired the next three batters.
Harrington, who had difficulty throwing first-pitch strikes, walked just one and made enough good pitches to keep all but two of the 11 Trojans to reach base from scoring.
"Trap came out to talk to me twice and we were on the same page. I was just nibbling at the corners instead of going after guys," said Harrington. "I got used to having men on base."
Trapasso said, "Ian was too particular with his offspeed pitches. He has to force contact with his offspeed pitches or they can wait for his fastball."
"We've also seen Ian battle back before to get the outs he's needed.
"It was good to get Matt (Inouye) and Kris (Sanchez) back in the lineup. That creates some options for us and we will need that."
The teams conclude the series today at 1 p.m. Left-hander Mark Rodrigues (1-0, 3.94 earned-run average) starts for the Rainbows. Left-hander Tommy Milone (3-0, 2.57) throws for USC.
Note: It was announced the stadium was a standing-room only sellout.
Hawaii 7, USC 3
USC |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Hawaii |
AB |
R |
H |
BI
|
Cusick 3b |
5 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
Wilder cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0
|
Sharpe 2brf |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Hee 2b |
5 |
1 |
2 |
1
|
Hankerd lf |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Frash 3b |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0
|
Frost dh |
5 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
Avila 1b |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0
|
Lopez rf |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Inouye rf |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1
|
Torres ph/2b |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Sanchez dh |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1
|
Vieira 1b |
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
Franco lf |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0
|
Bowden c |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Lopez c |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0
|
Fogel ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Spiers ss |
4 |
1 |
3 |
3
|
Sebastian c |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Owen ph/c |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Perales cf |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0
|
Estrella ss |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0
|
Totals |
40 |
3 |
14 |
3 |
Totals |
30 |
7 |
12 |
6 |
USC |
|
|
|
010 |
010 |
001 |
-- |
3 |
14 |
0
|
Hawaii |
|
|
|
000 |
402 |
01x |
-- |
7 |
12 |
1 |
E--Spiers. DP--USC 3. LOB--USC 12, Hawaii 9. 2B--Frost, Spiers. SH--Lopez. CS--Estrella, Wilder.
USC |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO
|
Cook (L, 0-2) |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1
|
Olsen |
2 1/3 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2
|
Martlaro |
1 2/3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2
|
Schlack |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0
|
Hawaii |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO
|
Harrington (W, 2-1) |
6 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1
|
Davis (S, 1) |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
WP--Cook, Olsen, Harrington. HBP--by Cook (Avila), By Martlaro (Inouye).
Umpires--Keoki Torres (plate), Mike Evans (first), Jim LeBeau (third).
T--3:13. A--3,481.