’Bows’ bats break out in win over Nevada

Jared Alexander has been taking care of business on his own at home this season.

Last night was one of the few times he didn't bring his best stuff, but when he needed help from his teammates, they had his back.

Landon Hernandez hit a three-run homer and every offensive starter scored at least one run as the Rainbows opened a four-game series against Nevada with a 10-4 victory in front of a Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 1,563.

Hawaii (17-21, 9-8 WAC) remains three games behind conference-leading Fresno State, but is within one of the Wolf Pack (21-15, 8-5) for third. Since dropping a season-high 10 games below .500, the Rainbows are 8-2.

"One thing we showed in two different ways was the character of our guys," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "Jared gives up a two-spot in the first and third and then finds it. Offensively, as a team, it was really the same thing. Every time they scored we were able to answer."

Alexander entered the game 4-1 at home with an 0.70 ERA, yielding only three earned runs in 38 2/3 innings at Les Murakami Stadium this season.

He was tagged for four earned runs in the first three innings, but didn't give up another the rest of the way. He finished the game retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced and went seven innings to improve to 5-3 for the season.

"It was huge for him to just not panic, figure it out and put up zeroes the rest of the way, which really helps us," Trapasso said. "I thought it was going to be a quick night for him."

Hawaii took a 7-4 lead into the seventh, when its first two batters struck out. Nevada reliever Sammy Miller then gave up a walk and a single before Hernandez crushed a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left-center for a three-run homer to put the game out of reach. It was Hawaii's first home run in the last 16 games.

"I wasn't trying to do too much," Hernandez said. "I was just trying to stay back a little bit more and track the ball a little bit better."

Alexander was tested immediately by a Wolf Pack offense that entered the series leading the WAC in hitting. Jason Sadoian opened the game with a ground-rule double to left and scored on a two-out RBI single by Shaun Kort off the wall in right. Terry Walsh followed with an opposite-field shot that bounced off the top of the wall for an RBI triple that should have been ruled a home run. The ball hit a pole above the yellow line on top of the fence, but Walsh was given a triple and was stranded on third as Alexander got a groundout to end the inning.

The Rainbows answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning, as the first six batters reached base off Wolf Pack starter Rod Scurry. Brandon Haislet drew a bases-loaded walk to score Sean Montplaisir, and Jeff Van Doornum and Kevin Macdonald followed with run-scoring singles. Greg Garcia's RBI ground out scored Haislet to give Hawaii a 4-2 lead.

"That shows some character and maturity on our part to go about our business and answer with as good an offensive inning as we've had all year," Trapasso said. "It really got the momentum back on our side."

The Wolf Pack evened the score in the third after stringing together three straight hits. Matt Bowman and Jason Rodriguez singled before Kort ripped an RBI double to score both runners.

Hawaii retook the lead by scoring runs in the next three innings. Vinnie Catricala, who struck out with the bases loaded in the first, hit a sacrifice fly to score Van Doornum to put the Rainbows up 5-4. An inning later, Derek DuPree poked a base hit into left field to move Montplaisir to third. An errant throw into the infield by the left fielder allowed Montplaisir to score and DuPree to advance to second to make it 6-4.

Hernandez made it a three-run game with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

The series continues today with a doubleheader beginning at 1:05 p.m.