Wednesday, May 5, 1999
‘Bows rally to
get seventh
road win
Hawaii earns a tough non-conference
Staff & wire reports
win as it prepares for a pivotal
WAC series in San DiegoSAN DIEGO -- The Rainbows only hit one ball out of the infield in the 11th inning yesterday, but it was enough to ignite a rally that produced the game-winning run.
It also was the only time Hawaii enjoyed a lead in the 4-3 nonconference victory over San Diego before a smattering of fans at 1,200-seat Cunningham Stadium on the Toreros' campus.
Jamie Aloy opened the 11th inning with a single to center field. UH head coach Les Murakami's next move was obvious -- sacrifice Aloy to second.
Scooter Martines put down a good sacrifice bunt; so good, in fact, that he beat pitcher Mark Vallecorsa's throw to first. Wade Taguchi followed with another well-executed bunt, moving Aloy to third and Martines to second. Lane Nogawa drew an intentional walk, loading the bases.
Kenn Wakakuwa topped a 1-1 pitch slowly toward third that third baseman Dominic Repetti could only field and fire to first as Aloy scored the winning run.
Murakami employed eight pitchers by design, a Rainbow single-game record. Corey Miller, who had pitched just four innings in three previous appearances, closed with three innings of no-hit ball to earn the win.
"I didn't want to throw Miller that long," Murakami said. "I asked him if he can come back (against San Diego State) and he said he could. But, in his first inning he was throwing 92 mph, then it dropped to 88 in his second and 84 the next inning. It's not his fault. He's not in throwing shape."
With Wakon Childers' status (sore elbow) doubtful for the Aztecs series, Miller and Matt Wheeler, who pitched the first two innings in yesterday's game, are the closers.
"The most important thing is the kids are learning how to win on the road," Murakami said.
"The last three games (all one-run victories) weren't easy, but the kids are believing in themselves and there is no panic. They play hard for nine or 10 or 11 innings.
"The more you play on the road, the more accustomed you get to the conditions. It's no one's fault we don't play more (road games). It's the cost."
Hawaii now has a seven-game, mainland winning streak, one shy of the record set by the 1980 team that won eight consecutive road games to start a 10-game trip to Texas-El Paso, Wichita State and New Mexico.
The Rainbows (32-17 overall, 11-13 conference) open a crucial three-game Western Athletic Conference series at San Diego State (26-27, 13-11) tomorrow. SDSU is in third place and the 'Bows are tied for seventh place, but only two games separate the teams in the WAC standings.
The Aztecs lost a nonconference game to Southern Cal, 5-4, last night when Robert Womack dropped a fly ball in the sixth inning for a three-base, run-scoring error.
Hawaii 4, San Diego 3
Hawaii AB R H BI San Diego AB R H BI Takamori rf 4 2 0 0 Liosi cf 4 0 2 1 Dartt 2b 4 0 2 1 Wright lf 5 1 2 0 Aloy 1b 5 1 2 1 Reese 1b 4 0 0 0 Martines lf 5 1 2 0 Sain 3b-c 5 0 1 1 Nakano dh 4 0 2 0 Leuthard c 4 0 0 0 Honma pr 0 0 0 0 Skinner 3b 0 0 0 0 Taguchi 3b 0 0 0 0 Koucos ph 1 0 0 0 Nogawa 3b-ss 3 0 1 0 Barden ss 0 0 0 0 Wakakuwa c 5 0 0 1 Kahl rf 3 1 2 0 Miller ss-p 5 0 1 0 Lima 2b 5 1 1 0 Baker cf 3 0 0 0 Hayes dh 5 0 1 0 Repetti ss-3b 4 0 2 1 Garcia ph 1 0 0 0 Totals 38 4 10 3 41 3 11 3 Hawaii 000 001 110 01--4 10 1 Utah 000 012 000 00--3 11 1E--Pribble, Waters. DP--Hawaii 2 (Nogawa-Dartt-Aloy, Taguchi-Dartt-Aloy), San Diego 1 (Kahl-Leuthard). LOB--Hawaii 7, San Diego 11.2B--Nakano (11), Kahl (10), Liosi (6), Wright (10). SB--Liosi. CS--Miller. SH--Baker, Nogawa, Taguchi, Liosi.
Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Wheeler 2.0 2 0 0 1 2 Pribble 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 Baptista 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 Garrick 1.0 2 1 1 1 0 Sato 0.2 4 2 2 0 0 Jones 1.1 1 0 0 0 1 Yamashita 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 Miller (W,1-0) 3.0 0 0 0 1 1 San Diego IP H R ER BB SO Waters 5.1 3 1 1 0 2 Jorgensen 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 Babbitt 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 Dunn 0.2 0 1 1 1 1 Vallecorsa (L,4-6) 3.1 4 1 1 2 2WP--Babbitt. HBP--Kahl (by Baptista), Garrick (by Reese).A--88. T--3:25.
