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Adam Kirkendall didn't survive the fifth inning when he pitched against Hawaii in Louisiana last month. Kirkendall confounds ’Bows
By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comLast night, the Rainbows were unable to solve the junior left-hander's offerings before 1,138 fans at Murakami Stadium. Kirkendall threw a complete-game two-hitter at UH (16-33, 5-18 WAC) as Louisiana Tech (20-31, 6-20) evened the Western Athletic Conference series at one win apiece with a 7-0 triumph.
The series finale and Hawaii's last home game of the season starts tonight at 6:35.
Kirkendall walked one, struck out 11 and did not allow a runner past second base.
"He (Kirkendall) was just throwing his curveball and threw his offspeed to keep us off balance, but there is no way we should just get two hits," said UH center fielder Brent Cook.
"It's frustrating. It's the same story. We win the first game then come out and lose two and three. We're not the same team and I don't know why."
UH starter Sean Yamashita breezed through the first inning on eight pitches, but ran into immediate trouble in the second inning when Kyle Humphries bounced a 3-2 pitch into left field and moved to third on John Brandon's double that one-hopped the right-field wall.
The damage could have been worse, but Yamashita fanned Dan Preaus before Michael Hall blooped an RBI single to right. Yamashita then struck out Ryan Jackson and retired Jody Wood on a foul pop to catcher Brian Bock.
A leadoff double by Brandon Haygood led to a second Louisiana Tech run in the third inning. Haygood took third on Wade Robinson's sacrifice bunt and scored when Cullen Simmons' single to left made it through a drawn-in UH infield.
In the fourth inning, the Bulldogs took advantage of getting the leadoff batter aboard to build a 3-0 lead. John Brandon walked on a full count, stole second base and scored when Preaus singled sharply to left.
That ended Yamashita's night. Aaron Pribble came on in relief and retired the next three batters.
"Sean started getting the fastball up. He tries to do too much. He started falling off the mound toward first, which means he is flying open, which means his pitches elevate," said UH pitching coach Chad Konishi.
Haygood and Robinson singled to start the fifth inning, but Pribble escaped the jam when Simmons hit into an around-the-horn double play with Haygood holding third and Humphries grounded out to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Kirkendall completely dominated the Rainbows through five innings. Gregg Omori was hit by a pitch in the first inning and Cook made it to second on a throwing error by Bulldogs shortstop Robinson to start the fourth. The 'Bows were unable to advance either runner.
Louisiana Tech increased its lead to 6-0 in the sixth by scoring three runs after two were out.
Michael Hall singled to left-center field and moved up a base when Jackson walked on a full count. Wood then lined the first pitch down the right-field line. Tim Montgomery attempted a diving catch, but missed as the ball rolled to the wall as Wood cruised into third base with a triple. When Montgomery's throw to the infield glanced off Nogawa's glove into foul territory, Wood scored easily.
Nogawa broke up Kirkendall's no-hit bid with a one-out single in the sixth. He was forced at second on Cook's grounder, but when Robinson threw the relay into the dugout again, Cook ended up at second, but advanced no further.
Louisiana Tech's final run came on Jackson's second homer in two nights over the left-field wall and his eighth of the season in the eighth inning.
WAC standings
Conference Overall W L Pct. GB W L Pct. Rice 21 1 .955 -- 40 9 .816 San Jose St. 17 8 .680 5 1/2 40 14 .741 Fresno St. 13 8 .619 7 26 24 .520 Nevada 7 14 .333 13 21 26 .447 LaTech 6 20 .231 16 1/2 20 31 .392 Hawaii 5 18 .217 17 16 33 .327 Yesterday
Louisiana Tech 7, Hawaii 0
Rice 7, San Jose St. 6
Fresno State vs. Nevada, ppd due to rain, will be made up today
Louisiana Tech 7, Hawaii 0
LaTech AB R H BI Hawaii AB R H BI Haygood, 2b 5 1 3 0 Nogawa, 2b 3 0 1 0 Robinson, ss 4 0 2 0 Cook, cf 3 0 0 0 Simmons, rf 5 0 1 1 Guillen, cf 1 0 0 0 Humphreys, 1b 4 1 1 0 Omori, 1b 3 0 0 0 Brandon, cf 3 1 1 0 Martines, dh 4 0 0 0 Preaus, dh 5 0 1 1 Montgomery, rf 4 0 0 0 Hall, 3b 3 1 2 1 Mocny, 3b 3 0 0 0 Jackson, c 3 2 1 1 Honma, lf 3 0 1 0 Wood, lf 4 1 1 2 Russell, ss 3 0 0 0 Bock, c 2 0 0 0 Symonds, c 1 0 0 0 Totals 36 7 13 6 Totals 30 0 2 0
LaTech 011 103 010 -- 7 13 2 Hawaii 000 000 000 -- 0 2 1 E -- Robinson 2; Montgomery. DP -- UH 1. LOB -- LTU 8; UH 5. 2B -- Haygood; Brandon. 3B -- Wood. HR -- Jackson. HBP -- Brandon; Omori. SH -- Robinson; Hall. SB -- Brandon; Hall. CS -- Simmons.
LaTech IP H R ER BB SO Kirkendall (6-3) 9.0 2 0 0 1 11 Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Yamashita (2-8) 3.0 6 3 3 1 3 Pribble 4.0 5 3 2 2 4 Yamamoto 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 Gauthier 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 HBP -- by Kirkendall (Omori); by Gauthier (Brandon). PB -- Symonds. Umpires -- Ray Belfiore (plate), Bob Franceschiello (first), Jim LeBeau (third). T -- 2:24. A -- 1,138.
UH Athletics