’Bows get win
No. 30 in the 11thHawaii clinches a tie for fourth
place in the WAC by taking its
first-ever series at SJSUWAC standings
SAN JOSE, Calif. >> Reserves Schafer Magana and Art Guillen made significant contributions in the 11th inning yesterday as the Hawaii Rainbows won their 30th game of the season.
The 7-6 victory over San Jose State at Municipal Stadium assured the 'Bows of at least a tie for fourth place in the final Western Athletic Conference standings and clinches the season series against the Spartans.
Clary Carlsen, the fourth UH pitcher, picked up the win for the second consecutive day.
The season concludes for both teams today in a game that begins at 9 a.m. Hawaii time. Keahi Rawlins will be on the mound for Hawaii (30-25, 11-18 WAC).
"You got to give our players a lot of credit. They are playing at a level you've got to be proud of," said Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso. "We won our first game in a long time here yesterday (Friday), so today we said let's take it one step further and win our first series here. It's just another milestone for these young kids. It's really significant for them. It's a great feeling."
Yesterday's game seesawed back and forth, with the Rainbows twice having to rally to tie the Spartans (24-32, 9-19 WAC) after grabbing an early 2-0 lead on Brian Bock's two-run double in the second inning.
Carlsen came on in the seventh to shut down the Spartans after they had taken a 5-3 lead by taking advantage of two walks off UH starter Chris George to start the inning. Both batters scored, the third and fourth SJSU runners to cross home plate who reached base either by a walk or being hit by a George pitch.
Hawaii drew even at 5 in the eighth as Rocky Russo and Matt Inouye started the inning with a walk and double. Guillen, running for Russo, scored on Bock's grounder to second and Inouye came home on Josh Green's sacrifice fly, his third in two games.
Isaac Omura began the 11th with a single to center. Pinch runner Magana advanced to second on Brian Finegan's sacrifice bunt and scored when shortstop Anthony Contreras booted Brent Cook's grounder into short left field. Jaziel Mendoza beat out a slow roller up the third-base line advancing Cook to second. Guillen then looped the first pitch from SJSU's fourth pitcher, Jose Amaya, into center, sending Cook home with what proved to be a huge run.
"The base hit by Art is the game-winner, which tells you how important that was. Art has played sparingly, but he is always ready," Trapasso said. "When he gets in there, he gives it his all and, for that reason, it makes the win even more special."
Carlsen, who surrendered a two-out homer to Kevin Frandsen in the bottom of the 11th, then ended the game by getting Jordan Bergstrom on a first-pitch grounder to third.
"Clary is a strike thrower and he has tremendous life on his fastball," said Carlsen. "He throws with more velocity than you would think. He's in the high 80s, which makes him deceptive."
Despite four errors, the 'Bows turned in numerous fine defensive plays, none bigger than Inouye's diving catch on Mark Bautista's one-out drive to left-center field in the 10th inning.
"Matt was flat out when he caught the ball just off the grass. If he missed that, it's to the deepest part of the park, an inside-the-park homer and the game is over," said Trapasso.
A UH victory or a Louisiana Tech loss today will leave the 'Bows in fourth place all by themselves. If UH loses and LaTech wins, the teams will finish tied.
Notes: Today's game has a curfew, with no inning starting after 12:30 p.m. Hawaii time to allow the Rainbows to get to the San Francisco airport in time for their flight home. ... Bock's first career triple as a Rainbow on Friday came in his 561st at-bat for UH. ... The 'Bows are 3-2 in extra-inning games and 6-7 in one-run games.
Hawaii 7, San Jose State 6
Hawaii AB R H BI San Jose St. AB R H BI Finegan ss 5 0 1 0 Pierson 2b 4 2 0 0 Sansaver 1b 5 0 1 0 Frandsen 3b 4 2 1 1 Cook 3b 6 1 0 0 Bergstrom 1b 6 0 2 2 Mendoza lf 5 1 2 0 King lf 5 0 2 1 Russo dh 2 1 0 0 Bates dh 4 0 1 1 Guillen pr/dh 1 0 1 1 Bautista c 5 0 0 0 Inouye cf 4 3 1 0 Heuerman rf 5 1 1 0 Bock c 5 0 2 3 Corrick cf 5 0 1 0 Green rf 3 0 0 2 Contreras ss 3 1 2 1 Omura 3b 4 0 1 0 Magana pr/2b 0 1 0 0 Total 40 7 9 6 Total 41 6 10 6
Hawaii 020 001 020 02 --7 9 4 San Jose St. 000 120 200 01 --6 10 2 E -- Inouye (1), Omura 2 (9), George (2), Frandsen (15), Contreras (15). LOB -- Hawaii 11, San Jose St. 9.
2B--Inouye (10), Bock (8). HR--Frandsen (4). SH -- Finegan (6), Omura (8), Bates (7). SF--Green 2 (7), Contreras (2). SB--Inouye (5), Contreras (7). CS -- Bergstrom (2), Corrick (7).
Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO George 6 5 5 5 3 3 Olsen 1/3 1 0 0 0 0 Cayetano 0 1 0 0 0 0 Carlsen (W, 4-3) 4 2/3 3 1 1 0 4
Louisiana Tech IP H R ER BB SO Durkin 3 3 2 2 2 3 Shull 4 1 1 0 1 3 Kilby 1 2 2 1 0 3 Amaya (L, 4-6) 3 4 2 1 0 3 Durkin pitched to two batters in the fourth.
George pitched to two batters in the seventh.
Cayetano pitched to two batters in the seventh.
HBP--Inouye (by Durkin), Frandsen 2 (by George), Mendoza (by Shull). BK--George ( 2).
Umpires -- Home: Ron Franceschellio. First: Rich Padilla. Third: Ted Kovach. T --3:30. A -- 564.
UH Athletics
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WAC standings
WAC games Overall W L Pct. GB W L x-Rice 24 5 .828 -- 47 10 Nevada 18 10 .643 5 1/2 31 24 Fresno State 14 15 .483 10 30 28 Hawaii 11 18 .379 13 30 25 y-Louisiana Tech 10 19 .345 14 18 33 San Jose State 9 19 .321 14 1/2 24 32 x-clinched league title
y-has one nonconference tieYesterday
Hawaii 7, San Jose State 6 (11 innings)
Rice 13, Fresno State 2
Nevada 7, Louisiana Tech 1Today
Hawaii at San Jose State, 9 a.m.
Fresno State at Rice
Nevada at Louisiana TechEnd regular season
