Chris George pitched eight strong innings to lead Hawaii to an 8-4 Western Athletic Conference victory over Louisiana Tech last night before a gathering of 603 fans at Murakami Stadium. George strong
in UH victoryBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comGeorge struck out 10 and walked one while allowing four hits. He has been credited with the win in all five of UH's conference victories.
Yet, he did not have his usual command last night.
"Chris didn't have any pitch that worked real well," said Rainbow catcher Brian Bock. "His slider and curve were all over the place, but he threw strikes when he had to. His fastball had enough juice on it to keep them on their heels."
UH coach Mike Trapasso said, "Chris doesn't have great fastball command, but he usually has great command of his slider and change-up. He sometimes tries to overthrow the fastball and that's when it is a hanging fastball."
Hawaii (16-32, 5-17 WAC) struck quickly against Louisiana Tech (19-31, 5-20), taking advantage of starter Lee Gwaltney's control problems to score four first-inning runs.
Lane Nogawa started the inning by bouncing a single into center. Brent Cook walked. After Gregg Omori flied out, Scooter Martines walked, loading the bases. Tim Montgomery's slow bouncer over the mound went for an infield single, scoring Nogawa. When Louisiana Tech second baseman Brandon Haygood's throw skipped past first baseman Nick Cauley, Cook scored, Martines moved to third and Montgomery ended up at second.
Danny Mocny walked on four consecutive pitches to reload the bases. Derek Honma lined a single to right field scoring Martines and Montgomery.
"He (Gwaltney) was struggling and I figured he would come with a fastball. He did and it was over the plate and a little on the outside," said Honma, who went with the pitch and hit it to the opposite field.
Gwaltney needed 37 pitches -- only 14 were strikes -- to get out of the inning.
"When we got some opportunities, we took advantage of them," said Trapasso. "We've been there before and been shut down for five of six innings, but we got it going again in the sixth tonight."
His batterymate, Ryan Jackson, got one run back in the top of the third inning when he lofted a one-ball pitch from George over the left-field fence for his seventh home run of the season.
Mocny extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single to center to start a three-run sixth. It was the Rainbows' first hit since the first inning.
Note: Duane Kurisu, the owner of Hawaii Winter Baseball, was honored prior to the game as this year's Chuck Leahey Award winner. The award is presented annually in memory of Chuck Leahey, long-time 14th Naval district athletic director responsible for bringing mainland collegiate teams to the islands each spring for a series of games before UH played a collegiate schedule.
Hawaii 8, Louisiana Tech 4
La Tech AB R H BI Hawaii AB R H BI Haygood, 2b 3 0 1 0 Nogawa, 2b 5 1 2 1 Devinney, ph/2b 2 1 0 0 Cook, cf 3 1 0 0 Robinson, ss 4 0 1 2 Omori, 1b 4 0 0 0 Cauley, 1b 3 0 0 0 Martines, dh 3 2 1 1 Wood, 1b 1 0 0 0 Montgomery, rf 4 1 1 1 Humphreys, dh 4 0 0 0 Mocny, 3b 3 1 1 0 Simmons, rf 4 0 0 1 Honma, lf 3 0 1 2 Brandon, lf 3 0 0 0 Russell, ss 1 1 0 0 Hall, 3b 4 0 1 0 Bock, c 3 1 1 1 Preaus, cf 3 1 1 0 Totals 29 8 7 6 Jackson, c 2 1 1 1 Dugdale, ph/c 2 1 0 0 Totals 35 4 5 4
Louisiana Tech 001 000 030 -- 4 5 2 Hawaii 400 003 10x -- 8 7 4 E -- Haygood, Robinson, Mocny 2, Russell 2. DP -- LTU 1 LOB -- LTU 7; UH 5. 2B -- Preaus. HR -- Jackson, Martines. HBP -- Brandon, Russell 2. SB -- Haygood. CS -- Honma. SH -- Robinson, Russell.
Louisiana Tech IP H R ER BB SO Gwaltney (L, 3-11) 6 6 7 6 5 4 Lacy 2 1 1 1 0 2 Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO George (W, 6-4) 8 4 4 1 1 10 Lee 1 1 0 0 0 0 WP -- Gwaltney, George. BK -- Gwaltney. HBP -- by Gwaltney (Russell), by Gwaltney (Russell), by George (Brandon). Umpires -- Bob Franceschiello, (plate), Jim LeBeau (first), Ray Belfiore (third). T -- 2:13. A -- 603.
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