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Saturday, April 8, 2000
Spartans bounce back
Star-Bulletin staff
twice to defeat 'BowsSAN JOSE, Calif. -Twice the University of Hawaii Rainbows took the lead and twice they failed to hold it last night.
The San Jose State Spartans rode two-run innings in the fourth and seventh to a 4-3 victory in the opener of a three-game Western Athletic Conference baseball series at Municipal Stadium.
The loss knocked the 'Bows out of a first-place tie leaving them one game behind the Spartans and Fresno State, a 9-7 winner over Texas Christian.
UH head coach Les Murakami gave Rah-Miel Mitchell the start in right field because he has more "pop" in his bat.
Mitchell popped one over the left-center field wall in the third inning for his first home run of the year and a 1-0 UH lead.
San Jose State rallied in the fourth when John Fagan singled. After a sacrifice bunt, UH starter Jamie Aloy issued one of his four walks to Gary Ferraro.
Adam Shorsher followed with a two-run double to left center.
Hawaii retook the lead in the seventh. Kenn Wakakuwa singled and moved to second on Patrick Scalabrini's sacrifice.
Mitchell's third hit of the game, a ground single to left, scored Wakakuwa. Mitchell later scored on a error for a 3-2 Rainbow lead.
The Spartans came right back in the bottom of the inning, getting a jump start when Aloy hit lead off batter Brian Stream.
Showing bunt, Ryan Bruckner slashed the ball off Wakakuwa's glove at second for a single.
Junior Ruiz singled Bruckner home to tie the score.
Aloy got Brandon Macchi on a groundout, then walked Fagan intentionally. Tony Tognetti lined to short for the second out, but Aloy walked Ferraro again to force home the winning run.
Pinch runner Nate Jackson got to second base with one out and stole third with two outs in the ninth, but SJSU reliever struck out pinch hitter Lane Nogawa and Shane Chan to end the threat.
Spartan starter Chris Key, who beat Hawaii at Rainbow Stadium last month, picked up his eighth victory without a loss.
WAC standings
Conference Overall W L Pct. W L Pct. Fresno State 9 4 .692 26 9 .743 San Jose State 9 4 .692 23 11 .676 Hawaii 8 5 .615 21 18 .538 Rice 6 8 .429 18 17 .514 Texas Christian 4 8 .333 13 24 .351 Hawaii-Hilo 4 11 .267 13 21 .382 Today's games
San Jose State 4, Hawaii 3
Fresno State 9, Texas Christian 7
Today's games
Hawaii at San Jose State, 10 a.m.
Hawaii-Hilo at Rice, 9 a.m.
Fresno State at Texas Christian
Tomorrow's games
Hawaii at San Jose State, 10 a.m.
Hawaii-Hilo at Rice, 9 a.m.
Fresno State at Texas Christian
Monday's game
Hawaii-Hilo at Rice, 9 a.m.
Spartans 4, Rainbows 3
Hawaii ab r h bi San Jose St. ab r h bi Chan dh 5 0 1 0 Stream 2b 3 1 0 0 Baker cf 4 0 0 0 Brucker cf 3 1 1 0 Martines lf 4 0 1 0 Ruiz lf 4 0 3 1 Kimura 1b 3 0 0 0 Macchi rf 4 0 1 0 Wakakuwa c 4 1 1 0 Fagan 1b 3 1 1 0 Scalabrini 3b 3 0 0 0 Tognetti 3b 3 0 0 0 Mitchell rf 4 2 3 2 Ferraro dh 2 1 0 1 Aoki c 1 0 0 0 Shorsher c 4 0 1 2 Bock ph-c 2 0 1 0 Patchett ss 4 0 0 0 Jackson pr 0 0 0 0 Pico ss 1 0 0 0 Nogawa ph 1 0 0 0 Totals 32 3 7 2 Totals 30 4 7 4
Hawaii 010 000 200 - 3 7 1 San Jose State 000 200 20x - 4 7 2 E-Pico (12), Shorsher (5), Patchett (8).
DP-Hawaii 1. LOB-Hawaii 7, San Jose State 10.
2B-Ruiz (11), Shorsher (8), HR-Mitchell (1).
SB-Mitchell (3), Jackson (11). S-Kimura (1), Scalabrini (2), Pico (3), Tognetti (2).
ip h r er bb so Hawaii Aloy (L, 5-3) 6 2/3 7 4 4 4 2 Garrick 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 San Jose State Key (W, 8-0) 8 6 3 2 2 4 Adinolfi (S, 5) 1 1 0 0 0 3 HBP-Brucker and Stream (by Aloy), Stream (by Garrick).
Umpires-Pedersen (plate), Samuels (first), Kidd (third). T-2:15. A-422.
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