Sunday, May 20, 2001

[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]

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’Bows win one
for Les

Hawaii scores seven runs
in the ninth in season's
last game

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By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

On a night honoring retiring coach Les Murakami, it was fitting that the University of Hawaii would rally for seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 9-8 Western Athletic Conference victory over UH-Hilo.

The win gives the Rainbows a winning season, as they finished 29-27.

Tim Montgomery scored the winning run on Gregg Omori's second hit of the inning, a single into the left-field corner with two outs.

Just before that, Matt Purtell had bounced a two-run single up the middle to score Arthur Guillen and Wakon Childers, tying the score at 8.

Hawaii's comeback came after an emotional appearance by outgoing coach Les Murakami during the game.

Hilo right-hander Ben Siff kept the Rainbows off balance all night with a variety of breaking and off-speed pitches. When the UH batters did hit the ball hard, it was usually right at a Vulcan fielder.

Patrick Scalabrini's two-out single scored Omori with UH's second run in the eighth inning.

The Vulcans held a 2-1 lead after five innings, scoring twice after two were out in the second inning.

Todd Jinbo singled to center for the first hit off Sean Yamashita. Douglas Rhodes walked on four pitches.

Darren Chu singled to center field on a 3-2 pitch, driving in Jinbo from second and advancing Rhodes to third. Rhodes scored when Yamashita threw the ball in the dirt on a pickoff attempt at first base for an error.

Siff made all the right pitches through the first four innings, twice working out of potential trouble when the Rainbows advanced a runner to third base with one out.

In the first inning, Siff retired Scalabrini and Danny Kimura with Purtell on third.

With Purtell on third again in the third inning, Siff got Omori on a long drive to center and Scalabrini on an infield pop.

Hawaii scored its first run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tim Montgomery opened the inning with a one-hop double off the left-center-field wall. Two outs later, Omori brought him home with a single to center.

Hilo scored five runs in the top of the seventh, with Mike Hobbs lining a bases-loaded, 3-2 pitch to left, scoring Rhodes.

Kaliko Oligo's single drove in another run, and Hilo eventually loaded the bases again. Then Keola Park singled in two more runs.

The Vulcans went on to take an 8-1 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning.

Purtell started the UH at-bat with a single to left. He came home on Omori's double to right.

Kimura drove in the second run of the inning, and Scalabrini scored on a wild pitch, to make it 8-5.

Kimura scored on a fielder's choice and Hilo got the first out of the inning.

After Brian Bock was hit by a pitch, Hawaii put runners on first second.

Montgomery's grounder was then mishandled by second baseman Mike Hobbs to load the bases.

Then Nate Jackson popped out to Hobbs for the second out.

Purtell's single then tied the game, and Omori's single won it.

Hawaii 9, UH-Hilo 8

HAWAII-HILO	AB	R	H	BI	HAWAII	AB	R	H	BI
Hobbs, 2b	5	1	1	1	Jackson, cf	4	0	0	0
Oligo, lf	4	1	2	1	Purtell, ss	6	1	3	2
Rooke, cf	4	1	0	1	Omori, 1b/lf	6	2	5	3
Park, dh	5	0	2	2	Scalabrini, 3b	4	1	1	1
Manfre, 3b	0	0	0	0	Kimura, 2b/1b	5	1	2	1
Rayle, 3b/p	4	0	0	0	Boudon, lf	2	0	0	0
Jinbo, c	3	1	1	0	Nogawa, ph/2b	2	0	0	0
Rhodes, 1b	3	2	1	0	Childers, dh	4	1	1	1
Chu, rf	4	0	1	1	Bock, c	4	0	1	0
Kaneshiro, ss	3	2	0	0	Guillen, pr	0	1	0	0
					Montgomery, rf	5	2	2	0
Totals	35	8	8	6	Totals	42	9	15	8

Hawaii Hilo	020	000	501	--	8	8	3
Hawaii	000	010	107	--	9	15	2

DP--Hilo 1. LOB--Hilo 5, Hawaii 13. 2B--Omori 3, Kimura, Bock, Montgomery. SB--Jackson, Purtell. CS--Chu, Omori.

HAWAII-HILO	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Siff	8	12	4	4	1	4
Suzuki	0	1	2	2	1	0
Shimabuku	1/3	0	2	0	1	0
Rayl (L, 0-1)	1/3	2	1	0	0	0
HAWAII	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Yamashita	6-1/3	6	5	4	1	7
Pribble	1/3	2	2	2	0	0
Quaglieri	1-1/3	0	0	0	0	2
Lee (W, 6-2)	1	0	1	0	1	1

WP--Suzuki, Shimabuku, Quaglieri. HBP--by Siff (Childers), by Yamashita (Jinbo), by Yamashita (Kaneshiro), by Pribble (Rooke), by Siff (Jackson), by Shimabuku (Bock). Umpires-- Jim LeBeau (plate), Gary Montalbo (first), Frank Tomaszewski (third).

T--3:34. A--3,192.

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UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii