[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
Rainbows split
twinbill with Dons
The Hawaii Rainbows ran their consecutive-game winning streak to eight in the opener of yesterday's doubleheader with San Francisco, only to have the Dons end it in convincing fashion in the nightcap.
Ricky Bauer hurled a six-hit, 5-0 shutout in the first game that started an hour late due to the work the grounds crew needed to prepare the dirt areas for play.
Bauer also was the winning pitcher in UH's other 2004 shutout, the lone victory over Cal State Northridge.
The Rainbows (9-6) managed the win despite getting just six hits, then were held to five hits in the second game.
San Francisco (4-7) piled up a 14-0 lead after four innings in the nightcap and cruised to a 14-1 victory before 1,109 fans at Murakami Stadium. It was the most lopsided loss since San Jose State beat UH 23-8 in 1998.
The series-deciding game starts today at 1 p.m. with Clary Carlsen on the mound for UH.
Bauer said he went to the bullpen between the third and fourth innings to work on his pitches after not feeling sharp in the first three.
"It helped me focus. My slider was flat and my changeup was not effective," said Bauer. "My focus, I didn't lose it, but it got better and it was smooth sailing after that."
In pitching Hawaii's first complete game of the season, Bauer struck out four, issued one walk, just his second of the season, and completed the effort with 108 pitches. The junior right-hander did not allow any San Francisco runners to advance past second base.
Still, the shutout appeared in jeopardy in the ninth. Chris Genung singled through the hole to left and Joe Jacobitz walked on a full count to start the inning. But, after a word of encouragement from battery-mate Matt Inouye, Bauer fanned Royce Fukuroku, then induced Nick Cirbo to hit the first pitch right at Creighton Kahoali'i. The UH third baseman started an around-the-horn double play to end the game.
"The first game was won with execution, pitching and defense. That is our game," said UH coach Mike Trapasso. "Then we had a four-inning meltdown in the second game. Sometimes it's good to get your butt kicked. We were coming off an eight-game winning streak and we have to be ready every game.
"We still haven't shown that we are the kind of team that can get down early and chip away. It will be interesting to see how we react tomorrow."
In the opener, the 'Bows continued their recent trend of grabbing an early lead with two runs in the second inning and another in the third.
The Dons had runners on base in the first three innings, but Bauer, who improved to 4-1 and equaled his win total for his first two UH seasons, was able to work out of mild trouble each time.
In the second game the Dons put the 'Bows in a deep hole with a five-run, first inning off junior right-hander Stephen Bryant who lasted just 1 1/3 innings.
"Stephen didn't have it from the first pitch. He couldn't keep the ball down. We gave them life in the first inning. We imploded," said Trapasso.
Note: Discount tickets are available for the First Hawaii Title Rainbow Baseball Tournament that starts Tuesday. Fans bringing any combination of 1.2 ounce or larger Wonka or Nestle products or a 2.25 ounce or larger David product get a discount that ranges from $1 for two wrappers to a free adult ticket for 12 wrappers.
Game 1
Hawaii 5, USF 0
E--Genung; Kahoali'i. DP--Hawaii 2. LOB--USF 7, Hawaii 8. 2B--Cirbo; Finegan; Sansaver; Thurber. HBP--Kahoali'i; Thurber. SH--Sansaver; Kish 2. SF--Kish; Omura. SB--Wilder; Green.
USF AB R H BI Hawaii AB R H BI Donald dh 4 0 0 0 Wilder cf 4 0 0 0 Smith 3b 4 0 2 0 Finegan ss 4 1 3 0 Gaerlan ss 4 0 1 0 Inouye c 3 0 0 0 Genung 1b 4 0 1 0 Green rf 4 0 1 1 Jacobitz lf 3 0 1 0 Kahoali'i 3b 3 1 0 0 Fukuroku 2b 4 0 0 0 Sansaver 1b 3 2 1 0 Cirbo c 4 0 1 0 Thurber dh 1 1 1 1 Cousins cf 3 0 0 0 Kish lf 1 0 0 1 DeLong rf 2 0 0 0 Omura 2b 3 0 0 1 Knoble ph/rf 1 0 0 0 Totals 33 0 6 0 Totals 26 5 6 4 USF (3-7) 000 000 000 -- 0 6 1 Hawaii (9-5) 021 101 00x -- 5 6 1
WP--Rose 2, Pereira. BK--Rose, Molof. HBP--by Rose (Kahoali'i); by Pereira (Thurber). Umpires--Mike Evans (home), Jim LeBeau (first), Keoki Torres (third). T--2:33.
USF IP H R ER BB SO Rose (L, 1-2) 6.0 5 5 4 3 3 Molof 0.0 1 0 0 1 0 Pereira 2.0 0 0 0 0 2 Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Bauer (W, 4-1) 9.0 6 0 0 1 4
Game 2
USF 14, Hawaii 1
E--Gaerlan; Kahoali'i. DP--USF 2. LOB--USF 9, Hawaii 10. 2B--Donald; Gaerlan 2; Mendoza; Lum. HBP--Donald; Knoble; Finegan. SH--Smith 2; Jacobitz; Knoble. SB--Nelson; Knoble; Inouye.
USF AB R H BI Hawaii AB R H BI Donald 2b/3b 5 3 2 0 Wilder cf 1 0 0 0 Smith 3b/ss 4 3 2 1 Mendoza lf 2 1 1 0 Gaerlan ss 4 1 4 6 Finegan ss 1 0 0 0 Fukuroku ph/2b 2 0 1 0 Hanzawa ss 3 0 2 1 Genung 1b 2 1 1 1 Inouye lf/cf 3 0 0 0 Cirbo 1b 2 0 0 0 Green rf 2 0 0 0 Jacobitz lf 3 1 0 0 Lum ph/rf 2 0 1 0 DeLong lf 2 0 0 0 Kahoali'i 3b/c 4 0 0 0 Gartrell rf 5 0 0 0 Sansaver 1b 4 0 0 0 Nelson dh 3 2 0 1 Thurber dh 1 0 0 0 Knoble cf 2 1 1 2 Griffin ph 2 0 0 0 Norfolk c 3 2 2 2 Bell-Irving c 1 0 0 0 Morales ph/c 1 0 0 0 Russo ph/3b 2 0 1 0 Magana 2b 1 0 0 0 Totals 38 14 13 13 Totals 31 1 5 1 USF (4-7) 513 500 000 -- 14 13 1 Hawaii (9-6) 000 000 100 -- 1 5 1
WP--Bryant 2, Withers. HBP--by Tate (Finegan); by Mead (Donald); by Withers (Knoble). PB--Bell-Irving 2. Umpires--Jim LeBeau (home), Keoki Torres (first), Mike Evans (third). T--3:13. A--1,109.
USF IP H R ER BB SO Tate (W, 1-1) 6.0 2 0 0 3 6 Muller 2.0 3 1 1 1 1 Johnson 1.0 0 0 0 2 0 Hawaii IP H R ER BB SO Bryant (L, 1-1) 1.1 6 6 3 0 2 Wright 1.2 3 3 3 2 2 Mead 0.2 3 5 4 3 1 Withers 4.1 1 0 0 1 5 Rawlins 1.0 0 0 0 0 2
