Rainbows get enough of ranked Bulldogs

Fresno State pounds UH's pitching for the second straight day

FRESNO, Calif. » The Fresno State hit parade started in the first inning and just kept going and going.

The Bulldogs ripped five Hawaii pitchers for 16 hits and cruised to a 13-2 victory in the finale of a three-game Western Athletic Conference baseball series at Pete Beiden Field yesterday.

It was the second time the 'Bows (25-11, 3-5) have lost a series this season and both were in conference play.

Five of the first six Bulldogs singled off UH starter Ian Harrington and the result was a 3-0 first-inning lead for the league's first-place team. FSU, No. 21 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, scored two more runs in the third inning with the help of third baseman Jon Hee's error, then took complete control in the fifth.

In that inning, Harrington hit the first batter, Beau Mills, then gave up a single to right by Christian Vitters, the ninth hit off the junior left-hander.

Matt Daly replaced Harrington but surrendered Brian Lapin's first home run of the season, a three-run shot over the left-field wall for an 8-1 FSU (26-10, 7-2) lead.

"We were looking for a ground ball, a double-play ball, but Matt hung a fastball. The three-run homer did it. The game was over after that," said UH coach Mike Trapasso.

"The fifth was the big inning. Our starting pitching completely deserted us for the second consecutive game, but when you give up three runs in the first inning, the game is not over. The fifth inning was the big inning."

Joe Spiers, who scored the Rainbows' only run in Saturday's loss, scored both yesterday. But both were the result of FSU errors and not directly from the UH offense, which was quieted significantly in the series by Bulldogs pitchers.

Spiers singled to center to start the third, stole second and scored when second baseman Erik Wetzel booted Robbie Wilder's ground ball.

In the eighth, Spiers was safe on a fielding error by Vitters at shortstop to start the inning, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on pinch hitter Adam Roberts' single to right.

"We didn't show up. I was embarrassed by the way we played. We weren't in the game from the start, but we will regroup and be ready for Tuesday (a nonconference game at California). And, we will be back in Fresno before you know it (for the WAC tournament, May 25-28)," Trapasso said.

"Frankly, it was just a joke the way we played the last two games. The only positive was the way Tyler Davis pitched Saturday."

The Rainbows got the leadoff hitter aboard in four other innings, but on two occasions, the next batter hit into a double play, and the other two times, the runner was cut down trying to steal second base.

Harrington lasted 4 1/3 innings, gave up nine hits, hit a batter, did not walk anyone and struck out four. It was his second shortest start of the season.

Mark Rodrigues followed Daly, but his two-thirds of an inning was just to keep him sharp for the starting assignment tomorrow against the Golden Bears.

Keahi Rawlins was the next Rainbow to the mound. In two-thirds of an inning, he walked two, gave up two hits and was charged with the Bulldogs' final four runs.

The last two scored on Nick Moresi's double off Jayson Kramer, who had just replaced Rawlins. Kramer then retired four of the next five Bulldogs.

"I'm not sure I want them to forget this one. The players have a bitter taste in their mouths and I think it would be good to have that for the next 48 hours," Trapasso said.