RAINBOW BASEBALL
Rainbows’ bats scorch Wolf Pack
RENO, Nevada » Steven Wright received instant run support and tamed the Nevada Wolf Pack for seven innings in the opener of a three-game Western Athletic Conference baseball series at refurbished Peccole Park last night.
Luis Avila and Eli Christensen had the biggest of the Hawaii Rainbows' 15 hits in the 13-4 victory, just UH's third win in 16 games here over the last six seasons.
"We talked at practice Thursday about having a sense of urgency. We haven't had a sense of urgency in a few weeks. After you play 30 games it sometimes is just about playing baseball," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said.
"Tonight we had a sense of urgency. Now we'll see if we can sustain it. Last Friday we felt good after beating Fresno State, then turned around and played bad for two days. I think the guys understand this can happen."
After Robbie Wilder and Justin Frash singled in the first inning, Avila crushed a 1-1 pitch from Nevada starter Tim Schoeninger over the left-field wall for a quick 3-0 UH (25-11, 4-5) lead.
Schoeninger hit Jon Hee with a 3-2 pitch to start the second. Ryan Asato, inserted into the lineup just before the game started when Derek DuPree and Jorge Franco were sent back to the hotel with the flu, singled to left. Christensen's sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third.
Wilder's single to left brought home Hee and Asato. Joe Spiers then doubled to right-center field, but Wilder was thrown out at the plate. Frash picked up Spiers with a single to left to make the score 6-0.
"When you go out there and put two three spots on the board right out of the gate, it is a lot easier to pitch relaxed," Trapasso said.
"But, in this park you never know. You are not comfortable with a 6-0 lead. We felt a little better when it was 13-1."
The Wolf Pack (15-17, 5-5) scored one run off Wright and it came in the fourth on singles by Matt Bowman, Terry Walsh and Leo Radkowski.
Wright, a junior right-hander, scattered the other four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out eight to win for the sixth time in eight decisions.
The 'Bows really made life easy for Wright with a five-run fifth inning. With one run in and the bases loaded, Christensen drove the first pitch he saw from Schoeninger over left-fielder Trevor O'Sullivan's head for a three-run double.
"Every inning we got the first two guys on, we scored. That's good stuff," Trapasso said. "We didn't go into cruise control. Even when we didn't score, we had some good swings."
Trapasso liked the night Asato had in just his second start of the season. The sophomore outfielder was 2-for-4 with a walk and scored twice.
"I'm real happy for Ryan. He put three outstanding swings on the ball tonight. That was big for us." Trapasso said.
The final two Hawaii runs crossed the plate in the eighth inning on consecutive doubles by Adam Roberts, Avila and Matt Inouye.
Freshman right-hander Jayson Kramer pitched the final two innings. He gave up five hits and three runs, walked two and fanned three.
Justin Costi starts for UH today. Nevada will send Travis Sutton to the mound.
"It all starts on the mound and we need Justin to give us a good effort," Trapasso said.
Peccole Park had FieldTurf installed in the offseason and a new fence built that is 12-feet high vs. the old 8-footer. Last night's game was the second under the new lights.
"We practiced on the FieldTurf for two days and I think we adjusted. They have done a good job," Trapasso said.
WAC standings
|
Conference |
Overall
|
|
W |
L |
Pct. |
GB |
W |
L
|
Louisiana Tech |
7 |
3 |
.700 |
-- |
23 |
13
|
Fresno State |
7 |
4 |
.636 |
1/2 |
26 |
12
|
Sacramento State |
6 |
5 |
.545 |
1 1/2 |
17 |
21
|
Nevada |
5 |
5 |
.500 |
2 |
15 |
17
|
San Jose State |
4 |
4 |
.500 |
2 |
23 |
15
|
Hawaii |
4 |
5 |
.444 |
2 1/2 |
26 |
11
|
New Mexico State |
1 |
8 |
.111 |
5 1/2 |
13 |
25 |
Yesterday
Hawaii 13, Nevada 4
Sacramento State 9, San Jose State 7
New Mexico State 13, North Florida 4
Louisiana Tech 5, Fresno State 4
Today
Hawaii at Nevada, 10 a.m.
Fresno State at Louisiana Tech
San Jose State at Sacramento State
North Florida at New Mexico State
Hawaii 13, Nevada 4
Hawaii |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Nevada |
AB |
R |
H |
BI
|
Wilder cf |
5 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
Ciarlo ss |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Spiers 2b |
6 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Bowman 3b |
3 |
2 |
2 |
0
|
Frash dh |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
Scobee rf |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0
|
Roberts ph |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Walsh 1b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0
|
Avila 1b |
5 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
Eastham 1b |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0
|
Inouye rf |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Krukow dh |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1
|
Lopez c |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Radowski 2b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1
|
Hernandez phc |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Foley ph 2b |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1
|
Hee 3b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Opdyke c |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Asato lf |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
DeWeese c |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Christensen ss |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
O'Sullivan lf |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Young phss |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Johnson phlf |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Williams cf |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suleski ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Totals |
42 |
13 |
15 |
12 |
Totals |
37 |
4 |
11 |
4 |
Hawaii |
|
|
|
330 |
050 |
020 |
-- |
13 |
15 |
1
|
Nevada |
|
|
|
000 |
100 |
021 |
-- |
4 |
11 |
3 |
E--Christensen, Ciarlo, Bowman, Scobee. DP--Hawaii 1. LOB--Hawaii 7, Nevada 9. 2B--Spiers, Roberts, Avila, Inouye, Christensen. 3B--Williams. HR--Avila, Johnson. SH--Christensen. SF--Foley. SB--Wilder, Inouye.
Hawaii |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO
|
Wright (W, 6-2) |
7 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
8
|
Kramer |
2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3
|
Nevada |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO
|
Schoeninger (L, 3-3) |
4 2/3 |
10 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
1
|
Brolsma |
1 1/3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0
|
Masten |
1 1/3 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1
|
Scott |
1 2/3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
WP--Kramer, Masten. HBP--by Schoeninger (Hee).
Umpires--Joe Burleson (plate), Rich Padilla (first), Steve Corvi (third).
T--2:44. A--1,015.