GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hilo second baseman Kevin Drever attempted to turn a double play as Hawaii's Tyler Wightman slid into second base yesterday.
’Bows beat up on Hilo The baseball season's first Western Athletic Conference series for Hawaii is part of the Rainbows' first mainland trip this year.
Hawaii next heads out on its first
road trip, which will include a series
in Fresno to open WAC playBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comThey leave tomorrow for a nonconference game Wednesday against the San Francisco Dons, then open WAC play Friday with a three-game series at Fresno State.
Hawaii (10-3) wrapped up a sweep of the two-game series with the Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans yesterday with an 18-2 victory at Murakami Stadium.
Tim Montgomery hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the fifth. Drew Jackson hit a two-run shot over both fences in center in the second. Rocky Russo circled the bases with an inside-the-park, three-run homer in the fourth when UHH center fielder Kaliko Oligo and right fielder Casey Oketani collided in the alley chasing Russo's ball.
"Kaliko may have a bruised rib and Casey a slight concussion, but both will be all right," said UHH coach Joey Estrella.
Nalei Sooto, a Waimanalo resident, was 4-for-4 at the plate with a solo home run to left in the eighth inning for the Vulcans (5-27).
The Rainbows' 19-hit attack made life easy for starter Justin Cayetano, who improved to 2-1, and four relievers who followed working an inning each.
Cayetano and Chris George give UH two solid starting pitchers and Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said he is not overly concerned about a starter for the third game of each three-game WAC series.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Tim Montgomery connected for a pair of home runs yesterday, including a grand slam.
"I have no problem throwing Ricky Bauer out there again," said Trapasso. "I think we'll just go into this first conference series trying to win each game as it comes. If we have to use guys out of the pen to the point where for Sunday's game we go with the last man standing, we'll do that.
"I feel very good about the way our guys have thrown, especially considering two of them (Justin Azze and Colby Summer), who we thought would be among our top three starters, haven't thrown."
Trapasso also feels good about the way the Rainbows are playing defense, especially in the outfield, where just one of the 17 errors has been committed.
"While we make some errors here and there, we've also made some plays that are really outstanding. Particularly (Brian) Finegan, when he goes to his left, he is making some very difficult plays look routine, which they are for him. He pretty much holds us together, that's for sure."
There are backup capabilities being developed behind starting catcher Brian Bock as Jackson and Matt Inouye see spot duty.
"Brian obviously is our No. 1 guy and may end up catching all four games this week," said Trapasso. "But we're getting to the point where, if we need to give Brian a rest or if he were to go down for a couple of days, we would have no problem throwing Drew or Matt out there.
"They bring different things to the table. Drew is a better receiver and Matt is a better thrower. Both of them, when they've had the opportunity to play, have played well. That bodes well for those guys and the future."
For the most part, Trapasso likes the way the 'Bows are hitting the ball.
"If you look at one statistic as an overall indication of how we've done in the first 13 games, you have to look at the strikeout-to-walk ratio, both from an offensive standpoint and a pitching standpoint," said Trapasso.
"I think we're three or four to one, strikeouts to walks, pitching. We're better than one-to-one, strikeouts to walks offensively, when you add hit by pitches to walks. To be one-to-one at the plate is outstanding and when you are on the plus side, that is very rare."
Notes: The four Hawaii home runs are one short of the single-game record that has been done four times, the last time at Air Force in 1999. ... It will be "Chad Konishi Day" at USF on Wednesday and the Rainbow pitching coach will throw out the first ball. He was the Dons' pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for six seasons before joining the UH staff. ... All four road games will be broadcast on KKEA (1420 AM).
Hawaii 18, Hawaii-Hilo 2
Hawaii-Hilo AB R H BI Hawaii AB R H BI Oligo cf 2 0 1 0 Finegan ss 3 1 1 0 Rhodes 2b3b 3 0 1 0 Russel phss 1 1 1 1 Lockett 3brf 4 0 0 0 Cook lf 2 2 1 1 Sooto dh 4 1 4 1 Inouye phlf 2 0 2 1 Mssmbene 3b 4 0 0 0 Green rf 4 2 2 2 Henderson 1b 4 0 0 0 Gilbride phrf 2 0 1 0 Oketani rf 2 0 0 0 Russo 3b 4 2 1 3 Brever 2b 2 0 0 0 Sansaver 1b 3 1 1 0 Savio c 3 0 0 0 Pnmarenko 1b 1 0 0 0 Yamashita c 1 0 0 0 Mntgmery cf 3 3 2 6 Sarmiento ss 4 1 1 0 Guillen cf 1 0 0 0 Tamura lfcf 4 0 2 1 Mendoza dh 4 1 2 1 Wightman dh 1 0 1 0 Jackson c 4 3 1 2 Omura 2b 5 2 3 0 Totals 37 2 9 2 Totals 40 18 19 17
E--Brever, Russo. DP--Hilo 1. LOB--Hilo 9, Hawaii 6. 2B--Sarmiento, Finegan, Green, Mendoza. HR--Sooto, Russo, Montgomery 2, Jackcon. HBP--Russell. SH--Lockett, Finegan. SF--none. SB--Cook. CS--none.
Hilo (5-27) 010 000 010 -- 2 9 1 Hawaii (10-3) 040 650 03x -- 18 19 2
WP--Zimmerman, Cayetano. S--none. PB--Yamashita. BK--Ebbs. HB--by Daugherty (Russell); by Rawlins (Blasi). Umpires--John Krason(home), Jim LeBeau (first), Mike Evans (third). T--3:01. A--878.
Hilo IP H R ER BB SO Ebbs (L, 2-6) 3 1/3 7 7 7 3 2 Jobes 0 1 1 2 0 0 Inaba 1 4 5 5 2 1 Daugherty 1 2/3 3 2 2 1 0 Zimmerman 2 4 3 2 0 1 Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Cayetano (W, 2-1) 5 7 1 1 0 2 Rawlins 1 0 0 0 0 0 Feck 1 0 0 0 0 0 Olsen 1 1 1 1 0 0 Bauer 1 1 0 0 0 0
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