FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Joe Spiers of Hawaii dove for the bag during a pickoff attempt at first. Florida State first baseman Ryne Malone took the throw but Spiers was safe.

’Bows ravage ’Noles

Bryant holds Florida State’s bats
in check, while UH’s offense
runs wild

Stephen Bryant made a strong bid to be named Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week again next week after his premier performance against No. 3 Florida State last night.

Hawaii 15 Florida St. 0 Next Up vs. Florida State today

The senior right-hander limited the Seminoles (21-2) to one hit in seven innings, a validation of the coaches' decision to move him into the No. 1 starting role for this series. Bryant's effort was more dominating than his last outing against South Florida, when he allowed three hits over eight innings.

The Rainbows (10-8 overall) showed some power and took advantage of eight infield hits to post season highs for runs and hits (19) in a 15-0 victory in the nonconference game before 977 fans at Les Murakami Stadium.

In 31 1/3 innings this year, Bryant has given up just 14 hits, walked 16 and struck out 40. His earned-run average dropped to 1.08 last night when he fanned eight and walked four.

"Those walks are killing me, because it affects my pitch count," said Bryant, who felt good right from the first pitch. "I told the team after the second inning to give me some runs and this game is over I felt so confident.

"My curveball was my out pitch. I like to set them up with the changeup. And, tonight I had good location with my fastball. I was down."

Bryant held the Seminoles (21-2) hitless until one out in the sixth inning, when Bryan Henry doubled into the alley in right-center field. Bryant issued a two-out walk to Gibbs Chapman to give FSU two runners on base for the first time.

But third baseman Schafer Magana made an excellent play on Aaron Cheesman's slow bouncer toward short and got the ball to Luis Avila in time for the first baseman to tag the runner.

"Stephen was very good. Pitching always sets the tone," said UH coach Mike Trapasso. "Our guys were relaxed and for some reason, they know when Stephen pitches he will keep them in the game.

"After the third inning, it was our night. It will be wasted if we don't come out and play the same way tomorrow."

Hawaii scored five runs in the third inning after FSU starter Michael Hyde retired the first two batters on first-pitch ground balls.

Joe Spiers reached on an infield bouncer over the mound, then stole second and third. Erik Ammon and Isaac Omura walked to load the bases.

Avila lined a 2-1 pitch to center, scoring Spiers and Ammon. Matt Inouye missed a home run by a foot and a half with a drive off the left-field wall that scored Omura, with Avila stopping at third. Rocky Russo also picked on a 1-2 pitch and lined it down the left-field line, sending Avila and Inouye across the plate.

The 'Bows upped the score to 8-0 in the fourth, again doing all the damage after Hyde had retired the first two hitters.

Spiers singled up the middle on the first pitch and stole second, his 14th consecutive theft without being caught this year.

Ammon doubled to left-center field on a ball the left fielder Chapman almost caught with his body fully extended parallel to the ground. Omura then liked a two-ball pitch and launched it high over both fences in right field for the first UH home run of the season.

"After Louisiana-Lafayette, we feel we can play with anyone if we come out and play with focus," said Omura. "We understand what we want to do as a team and as individuals. We're starting to jell.

"I don't remember the pitch (on the homer). I was just looking for something to hit to get those runs in so we could open up the game. I think the homer was a little wind-aided."

UH struck for a third time after two were down in the sixth, although the action began with Magana's one-out single to deep short and Spiers' double to right. After FSU shortstop Ryne Jernigan grabbed Ammon's soft liner in left center with an over-the-shoulder catch, Stephen Ochs replaced Hyde.

Magana scored and Spiers took third on a wild pitch. Omura then dribbled a slow hopper past the mound toward second that went for an RBI single and a 10-0 Hawaii lead.

Spiers singled in the five-run seventh for his fourth hit, the second time he has done that this year.

It was the Seminoles' worst shutout loss in their history and the second loss of the season, with both defeats charged to Hyde.

Hawaii 15, Florida State 0

FSU	AB	R	H	BI	Hawaii	AB	R	H	BI
Robinson cf	4	0	1	0	Spiers ss	5	4	4	0
Chapman lf	3	0	0	0	ÊHanzawa ss	0	0	0	0
Cheesman c	2	0	0	0	Ammon c	3	2	1	1
Diaz c	1	0	0	0	ÊLopez ph/c	2	1	0	1
Rye rf	3	0	0	0	Omura 2b	4	3	3	5
ÊO'Connor rf	1	0	0	0	ÊCastillo 2b	0	0	0	0
Malone 1b	2	0	0	0	Avila 1b	5	1	3	2
Wardell 1b	1	0	0	0	Inouye cf	5	1	3	2
Spivey dh	2	0	0	0	Russo dh	4	0	2	2
ÊPeacher ph	1	0	0	0	ÊThurber ph	1	0	1	1
ÊFrancis ss	0	0	0	0	Piaskowski lf	3	0	0	0
Jernigan ss/2b	3	0	0	0	ÊKish ph/rf	2	0	1	0
Henry 3b	2	0	0	0	Castaneda rf	3	0	0	0
ÊClvlnd ph/3b	1	0	0	0	ÊRoberts ph	2	1	0	0
Thomas Jr. 2b	1	0	1	0	ÊDupree lf	0	0	0	0
ÊManasa 2b/p	1	0	1	0	Magana 3b	4	2	1	0
					ÊHee 3b	1	0	0	0
Totals	28	0	3	0	Totals	44	15	19	14

FSU	000	000	000	--	0	3	1
Hawaii	005	302	50x	--	15	19	0

E--Jernigan. DP--FSU 1, Hawaii 1. LOB--FSU 5, Hawaii 8. 2B--Thomas; Spiers; Ammon; Inouye; Russo. HR--Omura. SB--Spiers 3. CS--Thomas.

FSU	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Hyde (L, 4-2)	5 2/3	10	10	10	2	4
Ochs	2/3	8	5	4	0	0
Manasa	1 2/3	1	0	0	1	0
Hawaii	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Bryant (W, 4-0)	7	1	0	0	4	8
Summer	2	2	0	0	0	0

WP--Ochs.
Umpires--Jim LeBeau (plate), Mike Evans (first), Keoki Torres (third).
T--2:37. A--977.