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Monday, April 17, 2000
Hitting lapses
hurt Hawaii
An inability to capitalize
with men on base results in a
9-2 loss against Fresno StateRealAudio: 'Net broadcast Click Here
By Al Chase
Star-BulletinWhat a difference timely hitting makes.
The Fresno State Bulldogs exploited it yesterday. The University of Hawaii Rainbows did not.
Further dissection of Fresno State's 9-2 Western Athletic Conference victory reveals the fact that three of the four Bulldogs reaching base via a walk, scored.
Why? Because of those timely hits.
Hawaii also received some complimentary passes, two walks and two hit batters, but managed to send just one of those runners across home plate.
The Rainbows loaded the bases with one out in the second inning against Fresno State right-hander Shawn Hannah.
But, Hannah got Patrick Scalabrini on a routine ground ball to third and fanned Rory Pico.
The 'Bows created the same opportunity in the fourth inning.
This time Hannah struck out Sean Takamori and retired Darin Baker on a pop up to shortstop.
"One more hit and they were going to take him out," Hawaii head coach Les Murakami said. "We couldn't get the one crucial hit. It would have broken things open."
Each time the 'Bows threatened, Fresno State head coach Bob Bennett visited Hannah on the mound.
"When I go out, it's to remind him of his alignment," Bennett said. "If he starts pulling out and drifting to the left, his ball gets upstairs. If his head is lined up with the target, he's usually pretty consistent."
The advice must have helped. Hannah escape major damage twice.
He settled into a good rhythm and retired 12 of the last 13 Rainbows. He was economical with his pitches, needing just 12, 10, five and 14 over the final four innings.
The Bulldogs (29-11 overall, 11-6 WAC) put the game away with a four-run seventh. Tom Creighton's bases-loaded single brought in the final two Bulldogs.
FSU can take this series and even the season series with a win tonight. The 'Bows (22-21, 9-8) can claim both series with a victory.
"I thought Randon (Ho) pitched well, then he got tired," Murakami said. "He's pitching good, then he walks the guy with two outs. But that's been Randon's thing, walking guys and they score."
"It was a win we needed, but we're both in the same situation. We need to win," said Bennett, who moved into sole possession of ninth place on the NCAA Division I all-time victory. He has 1,218 wins in his 32-year career at FSU.
BULLDOGS 9, RAINBOWS 2
FRESNO STATE AB R H BI HAWAII AB R H BI Creighton 2b 5 0 2 3 Takamori rf 5 0 2 0 Labandeira dh 5 0 0 0 Baker cf 4 1 1 0 Acevedo lf 5 1 2 0 Mitchell ph 1 0 0 0 Gemoll 1b 5 0 2 0 Aloy 1b 4 0 0 1 Garcia 3b 4 2 1 0 Kimura dh 3 0 1 0 Bowlin rf 3 3 2 1 Wakakuwa c 3 1 1 0 Harper c 4 2 1 1 Martines lf 3 0 0 0 Lopez ss 4 1 3 2 Nogawa 2b-3b 4 0 2 1 Guzman cf 4 0 2 1 Scalabrini 3b 2 0 0 0 Chan ph 1 0 0 0 Purtell 2b 0 0 0 0 Pico ss 3 0 2 0 Jackson ph 1 0 0 0 Totals 39 9 15 8 Totals 34 2 9 2
Fresno State 001 201 410 - 9 15 0 Hawaii 011 000 000 - 2 9 3 E-Baker (1), Martines (2), Scalabrini (13).
DP-FSU 2 (Creighton-Lopez-Gemoll, Lopez-Creighton-Gemoll). LOB-FSU 10, UH 9.
2B-Creighton (7), Bowlin (13). B-Baker (2).
SB-Nogawa (2). S-Harper (3). SF-Creighton (1), Lopez (1).
Fresno State
IP H R ER BB SO Hannah (W, 6-2) 9 9 2 2 2 4
Hawaii
IP H R ER BB SO Ho (L, 5-6) 6-1/3 11 6 4 2 1 Sato -1/3 1 2 0 1 0 Lee -1/3 1 0 0 0 0 Pribble 1 2 1 1 1 0 Jones 1 0 0 0 0 0 HBP-Wakakuwa and Scalabrini (by Hannah).
Umpires-Montalbo (plate), Burleson (first), Pedersen (third). T-3:05. A-1,507.
WAC STANDINGS
Conference Overall W L Pct. W L Pct. San Jose State 12 6 .667 26 14 .658 Fresno State 11 6 .647 29 11 .725 Hawaii 9 8 .529 22 21 .512 Rice 10 10 .500 23 19 .548 Texas Christian 8 9 .471 17 25 .405 Hawaii-Hilo 5 16 .238 14 26 .350 Saturday's results
Texas Christian 9, Hawaii-Hilo 7
Hawaii 8, Fresno State 7
Rice 12, San Jose State 5Yesterday's results
Fresno State 9, Hawaii 2
San Jose State 6, Rice 5Today's game
Fresno State at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
