Rainbows run into another hot hurler
From staff and wire reports
IRVINE, Calif. » Sean Gorgen became the latest in a line of pitchers to completely overmatch the Rainbows.
The junior right-hander allowed only one hit over eight innings and combined with Crosby Slaught for a two-hit shutout as the 13th-ranked Anteaters defeated Hawaii 9-0 yesterday at Anteater Ballpark.
Gorgen struck out nine and was perfect through the first three innings. An error to open the fourth broke up the perfect game, but his no-hitter stayed intact until Kevin Macdonald's single with one out in the seventh. Vinnie Catricala got Hawaii's other hit in the ninth as the Rainbows didn't get a baserunner past second base all game.
"(Gorgen) was as good as advertised," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "He was throwing three above-average pitches any time in the count. He's just a bulldog."
It was the sixth shutout of the year for UC Irvine (12-1), which won its fourth straight game. Hawaii (7-10) had its two-game winning streak snapped as Jared Alexander took the loss.
Alexander lasted just five innings in his shortest outing of the season. The junior right-hander entered the game with a 0.96 earned run average, but gave up five runs on seven hits.
"He couldn't throw his slider for a strike which is his bread and butter," Trapasso said. "When he has to go with the fastball in fastball counts, he's going to give up hits."
The top two hitters in the Anteaters' lineup gave the Rainbows fits all game long. Leadoff batter Ollie Linton singled and scored in each of his first three at-bats and Ben Orloff finished 4-for-5. The duo was a combined 7-for-9 and scored seven of UC Irvine's nine runs.
Rainbows freshman Sean Soto was introduced to college baseball the hard way in the eighth inning. Sean Madigan took the first pitch of Soto's career into the alley in right center for a triple. The Anteaters added three more hits and scored four runs off of Soto to chase him after 2/3 of an inning.
"I just told him it can only get better from here," Trapasso said.
Schedule change
The Rainbows and Anteaters will play a doubleheader today in anticipation of bad weather that's forecast to hit the Irvine area.
Matt Daly (3-1, 4.12 ERA) will start the opener while Nicholas Rhodes (0-1, 5.40 ERA) takes the hill in the finale.
