RUSTON, La. >> The strategy is basic when the opposing team, the home team, has a runner at third base with no outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. Bulldogs burn ’Bows
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You intentionally walk the next two batters to set up a force situation at any base. What you want most is a ground ball to any of the infielders who are drawn on the grass so a play can be made at the plate.
That was the Hawaii Rainbows' predicament last night after Louisiana Tech's Wade Robinson tripled off the left-field wall to start what turned out to be the final inning in the opener of the three-game Western Athletic Conference series at JC Love Field.
The strategy failed when Kyle Humphreys grounded a single up the middle on a 2-2 pitch from Clary Carlsen to send Robinson home and give the Bulldogs a 6-5 victory.
The Rainbows (18-18, 1-12 WAC) took an early 3-0 lead, saw it disappear on Humphreys' three-run homer in the sixth inning that put Louisiana Tech (11-21, 4-9 WAC) ahead 5-3, then battled back to tie the score at 5-5 in the seventh on Brent Cook's two-run single.
Hawaii put the leadoff batter aboard in the eighth and 10th innings but could not capitalize in either situation.
Matt Inouye singled to start the eighth, but with Rocky Russo showing bunt, then taking the pitch, Bulldog catcher Ryan Jackson picked Inouye off first with a quick throw to Humphreys.
"That's something you learn in the eighth grade. You've got to see the ball down on the ground before you take off," said UH coach Mike Trapasso.
In the 10th, Cook beat out an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Andrew Sansaver. However, Matt Varner came in from the Louisiana Tech bullpen to strike out Inouye and Russo, both on 3-2 counts.
"He just throws it by Inouye and drops a breaking ball on Russo," said Trapasso.
"There isn't a whole lot to say after a game like this. We score three early, then sit back and let him (Bulldog starter Jon Lockwood) settle in for the next four innings. We didn't get into their bullpen early, didn't make the pitches we had to and that was the ballgame."
In both cases the most damaging hits by the Bulldogs came when starter Nick Ponomarenko and reliever Rich Olsen fell behind Humphreys and Robinson 3-1 in the count and had to come in with a pitch both batters found very hittable.
"You've got to pitch ahead," said Trapasso. "Olsen pitched very well. It's a shame."
Olsen relieved Ponomarenko to start the seventh and fanned five of the first nine batters he faced. He did give up one walk and a single in the ninth, but second baseman Isaac Omura speared John Brandon's line drive and turned it into an inning-ending double play.
The Rainbows scored twice in the first on singles by Brian Finegan and Cook, and Sansaver's two-run double to left-center field. Tim Montgomery made it 3-0 in the second with his sixth home run of the season.
In the seventh, Kevin Gilbride walked with one out and moved to third on Omura's single to right. Both runners scored on Cook's ground ball that hit the first base bag and dribbled into right field.
The Rainbows are 1-2 in extra-inning games this season.
Hawaii will try to win its second WAC game tonight with right-hander Ricky Bauer taking the mound.
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WAC standings
WAC games Overall W L Pct. GB W L Rice 12 0 1.000 -- 33 2 Nevada 7 2 .778 3.5 17 16 Fresno St. 6 3 .667 4.5 19 15 San Jose St. 4 8 .333 8 18 17 x-Louisiana Tech 4 9 .308 8.5 11 21 Hawaii 1 12 .077 11.5 18 18 x-also has one nonconference tie
Yesterday
Louisiana Tech 6, Hawaii 5
Today
San Jose State at Nevada
Hawaii at Louisiana Tech
Rice at Fresno State
Tomorrow
Hawaii at Louisiana Tech
San Jose State at Nevada
Rice at Fresno State
Lousiana Tech 6, Hawaii 5
Hawaii AB R H BI La. Tech AB R H BI Finegan ss 4 1 1 0 Wood 2b/3b 5 0 3 1 Omura 2b 4 1 1 0 Brandon cf 5 0 1 0 Cook 3b 5 1 3 2 Robinson ss 5 1 1 0 Sansaver 1b 4 0 1 2 Walker rf 3 1 0 0 Inouye 1f 4 0 1 0 Allen rf 0 0 0 0 Russo dh 5 0 0 0 Tabor dh 2 1 1 0 Bock 3 0 0 0 Haygood ph 1 0 0 0 Montgomry cf 4 1 1 1 Emfinger ph 0 0 0 0 Gilbride rf 2 1 0 0 Humphreys 1b 4 1 2 4 Wightman ph 1 0 0 0 Alford lf 4 0 0 0 Green rf 0 0 0 0 Spangler 3b 2 2 1 1 Haddox pr/2b 1 0 0 0 Jackson c 2 0 0 0 Totals 36 5 8 5 Totals 34 6 9 6
E -- Omura, Cook, Bock, Wood. DP -- Hawaii 2. LOB -- Hawaii 7, La. Tech 9. 2B -- Sansaver. 3B -- Robinson. HR -- Montgomery, Humphreys, Spangler. SH -- Omura, Sansaver, Jackson. SB -- Finegan, Cook, Bock, Wood. CS -- Haddox.
Hawaii 210 000 200 0 -- 5 8 3 La. Tech 001 013 000 1 -- 6 9 1
Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Ponomarenko 6 5 5 4 1 3 Olsen (L, 2-2) 3 3 1 1 4 5 Carlsen 0 1 0 0 0 0
La. Tech IP H R ER BB SO Lockwood 6 2/3 6 5 5 2 5 Schneider 2 2/3 2 0 0 0 3 Varner (W, 2-2 0 0 0 0 2 WP -- Olsen, Lockwood 2. HBP -- Finegan (by Lockwood), Humphreys (by Ponomarenko), Bock (by Lockwood), Spangler (by Ponomarenko). Umpires -- HP: Jay McKeown. 1b: Brian Martin. 3b: Bob Charmo. T -- 2:45. A -- 407.
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