Saturday, February 6, 1999
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Hawaii's Jamie Aloy slides home ahead of the tag
by Cal State Sacramento catcher Casey Martinez.
Baseball Bows
sting back
Scooter Martines makes his
By Al Chase
Rainbow debut in the 10-3 win
Star-BulletinTwo occurrences prior to last night's Cal State Sacramento-Hawaii baseball game at Rainbow Stadium had a definite impact on the outcome.
First, the paperwork arrived from Texas Tech making Scooter Martines eligible to play in a Rainbow uniform for the first time. Second, UH head coach Les Murakami told Lane Nogawa during batting practice he was getting his first start at second base.
And, Hawaii hitters began showing signs of shucking a collective batting slump that started in the last game of the California series.
This benefited lefty Randon Ho, who extended his streak of innings without an earned run to 212/3. Ho (3-0) struck out seven and walked two as the Rainbows evened the series at a win apiece with a 10-3 victory.
"I was really pumped up. I've waited a long time for this opportunity," said Martines, who started in left field. "Coach Carl (Furutani) talked to me before the game and said to just go out and have fun, be Scooter Martines."
On the first pitch he swung at, Martines lost the grip on his bat and it sailed into the far end of the Rainbow dugout. The next time up he hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Kenn Wakakuwa with the first UH run. He singled and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.
Nogawa, a Creighton transfer, singled in the tying run in the second. He singled to start the six-run eighth and later hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the final run.
"I was excited. It took me a few innings to settle down. I was rushing things early," Nogawa said.
The first three innings looked like a continuation of Thursday's game as the Hornets (2-2) capitalized on Matt Wheeler's throwing error to score twice in the second.
Wakakuwa, hitting .167 entering the game, decided to help the team and himself by beating out a bunt up the third base line opening the fourth. It was the first hit off CSS starter Joshua Schuler.
"It's been a long struggle on the offensive side. That's why I laid down the bunt, to get something going," Wakakuwa said.
He drove home UH's fourth run in the seventh and singled home two more teammates in the eighth.
After getting out of the second-inning, Ho retired 15 of the next 16 Hornets. Two excellent running catches by Sean Takamori in right helped during this stretch.
GOOD NEWS: UH second baseman Michael Dartt has received medical clearance to take batting practice and light infield starting Monday. After viewing the results of MRI exams on both legs, doctors concluded the stress fracture in his left leg was an old injury and the one in his right leg was new and slight.
Rainbows 10, Hornets 3
CS Sacramento Hawaii ab r h bi ab r h bi Jackson cf 2 0 2 0 Takamori rf 4 2 1 1 Elliott rf 4 0 0 0 Wheeler 3b 4 1 1 1 Marshall ss 4 0 1 0 Wakakuwa 1b 4 2 3 3 Visger dh 4 0 1 0 Aloy 1b 5 2 2 1 McFarland pr 0 1 0 0 Martines lf 3 1 2 1 Gilman 3b 4 1 1 0 L. Hansen ph 0 0 0 0 Krebs 2b 3 0 0 0 Honma pr-lf 0 0 0 0 Hodgson 1b 3 1 0 0 Nakano dh 3 0 2 1 Martinez c 3 0 0 0 Polk pr 0 0 0 0 Gates lf 3 0 1 0 Nogawa 2b 3 1 2 2 Miller ss 4 0 0 0 Mitchell cf 2 1 0 0 Totals 30 3 6 1 Totals 32 10 13 10 CS Sacramento 020 000 001-- 3 Hawaii 000 201 16x--10E--Jackson (2), Gilman (1), Pembera (1), Wheeler (3). DP--CSS 1 (Krebs-Marshall-Hodgson). LOB--CSS 1, UH 10.2B--Nakano (2). SB--Takamori 2 (4). SH--Jackson (1), Krebs (1), Takamori (2), Miller (1). SF--Martines (1), Nogawa (1).
IP H R ER BB SO Schuler (L, 0-1) 6 5 3 2 5 5 Tubb 1/3 3 1 1 0 1 Pembera 1 3 4 3 1 0 R. Hansen 2/3 2 2 1 2 0 Ho 7 5 2 0 2 7 Jones 1 0 0 0 0 1 Snider 1 1 1 1 0 1Ho pitched to one batter in the eighth inning.WP--Pembera (1), Snider (1). PB--Wakakuwa (1). Umpires--Tomaszewski (plate), Montalbo (first), Ormita (third). T--3:03. A--1,447 (turnstile), 2,471 (tickets issued).