Symonds saves
Rainbows from sweep
The backup catcher hits a grand
slam in the ninth inning to set
up Montgomery's game-winning single
By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.com
Hawaii was about to experience a frustrating, lost weekend when one swing of Grady Symonds' bat in the ninth inning breathed life into the struggling Rainbows.
The resuscitation process wasn't completed until the bottom of the 12th inning when Tim Montgomery's single scored Lane Nogawa from second base gave the Rainbows a 6-5 nonconference victory over UC Irvine.
"It was an interesting game, because for eight innings, it was very frustrating because we had opportunities (to win)," said UH coach Mike Trapasso. "It was totally different from yesterday (Saturday) and even from Friday. We came out and played with energy and intensity.
"Up until the ninth inning, I'm hoping we'll come back, but I'm prepared to tell them I'm proud of them for their hard play, although we didn't get it done again offensively. Then, lo and behold, Grady Symonds steps out of the blue and gets us right back in and gives us a chance."
Symonds replaced starter Brian Bock at catcher to get some playing time at the start of the eighth inning with the 'Bows trailing, 5-1. UH hadn't mounted a serious threat since the first inning when its only run scored on consecutive singles by Cortland Wilson, Scooter Martines and Lane Nogawa.
However, UCI starter Paul French escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation when Kevin Gilbride struck out swinging and Gregg Omori flied out to right.
In the ninth, Nogawa punched a soft liner into left for a single. Gilbride walked and Montgomery singled to right, loading the bases.
That ended the day for Jon Koller, UCI's second pitcher who had breezed through the eighth inning, retiring Hawaii in order on five pitches. Jimmy Alstot, who threw two innings of hitless relief Friday, was summoned from the bullpen to face Symonds, who was batting for just the sixth time this season.
While Alstot warmed up, Trapasso talked with Symonds at the on-deck circle.
"Coach said the guy is going to come in thinking he can throw a fastball by you on the first pitch. Coach knows I'm a fastball hitter. We agreed that if he comes out here and throws that first-pitch fastball, that I was going to swing at it," Symonds said.
Alstot obliged and Symonds' high fly carried just enough to clear the center-field wall at the 385-foot mark for a grand slam, the first since Omori hit one against Hawaii-Hilo last May.
"I was just looking to hit the ball hard up the middle somewhere. I see home runs as a mistake. You hit the ball hard, get underneath it a little bit and the ball carries out," said Symonds.
That tied the score at 5-5 and, with Hawaii reliever William Quaglieri holding the Anteaters (11-10) in check, the game moved to extra innings. The Rainbows (7-9) had a marvelous chance to win the game in the 10th when they loaded the bases with no outs.
"I go ballistic because of the situation we have and it's not just that our guys didn't get the job done, but because they didn't use the approach we work on every week in practice," said Trapasso. "They (Omori and Montgomery) both came off, trying to pull the ball instead of thinking big part of the field and a fly. I'm telling them on every pitch and that's when, as a coach, this game becomes really frustrating."
Omori hit a four-hopper down the third-base line that UCI's Steve Guthrie backhanded and threw home for the force out. Montgomery's nubber back to the mound also resulted in a force out at home and Symonds flied out to end the inning.
Nogawa, 9-for-13 in the series, singled with one down to start the game-winning rally in the 12th inning. He moved to second when Gilbride walked. After Omori popped to second on the first pitch, Montgomery singled up the middle on an 0-2 pitch to score Nogawa.
"I'm working on being more consistent so I can help this team. Today was the same ups and downs. I'm just glad the up came at the last critical moment," said Montgomery.
"That pitcher (Glenn Swanson) threw a lot of breaking balls and change-ups when he got me out in the 10th. I thought he would come with something offspeed. It was a curve."
Nogawa beat the throw from UCI center fielder Jon Horwitz by a couple of steps to score the winning run and end a three-game UH losing streak.
"It was nice to see that Tim Montgomery was able to redeem himself after the 10th inning," said Trapasso. "I'll tell you why we won. After we tied it up, Will Quaglieri was not going to give up a run."
The sophomore right-hander pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit relief, walking three and striking out seven. The Anteaters had mild threats in the 10th and 11th innings when they got a runner to second, but that was it.
"I love going out there, use my defense and just hope we can produce. I know we'll put it all together some day," said Quaglieri, who would like a shot at starting, but basically loves to pitch and can't stand watching.
Next up for the Rainbows are the Rice Owls, who were the preseason pick to win the Western Athletic Conference, in a three-game series that begins Friday.
Hawaii 6, UC Irvine 5
| UCLA |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Hawaii |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
| Szabo lf |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cook df |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Anderson 1b |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Nagana 3b |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Miller c |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
Wilson ss |
6 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Brown dh |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Martinez lf |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| Wallis ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Honma ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Guthrie 3b |
6 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
Nogawa 2b |
6 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
| Trejo 2b |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Gilbride rf |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Klemm rf |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
Omori 1b |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Horwitz cf |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Montgomery cf |
6 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
| Eucce ss |
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
Bock c |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| French p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Symonds c |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| Koller p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
George p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Alstot p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Quaglieri p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Swanson p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Cordeiro p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Totals |
44 |
5 |
12 |
5 |
Totals |
46 |
6 |
14 |
6 |
| UC Irvine |
200 |
021 |
000 |
000 |
-- |
5 |
12 |
0 |
| Hawaii |
100 |
000 |
004 |
001 |
-- |
6 |
14 |
0 |
E--None. DP--UCI 1, Hawaii 2. LOB--UCI 9, Hawaii 12. 2B--Guthrie 2 (5), Horwitz (5), Omori (6). HR--Miller (5), Guthrie (3), Symonds (1). SB--Eucce.
| UC Irvine |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| French |
7.0 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
| Koller |
1.1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
| Alstot |
0.2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
| Swanson (L, 3-1) |
2.2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
| Hawaii |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| George |
5.1 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
| Quaglieri (W, 2-2) |
6.2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
WP--George. PB--Symonds. HBP--none. Umpires-- Mike Evans(first), Don Greman (third), Keoki Torres ( plate).
T--3:54. A--1,028.
