UH starts off strong

UH pitcher Ian Harrington spaces seven hits and Sanchez keys three rallies in the victory

Kris Sanchez sparked three Hawaii rallies and Ian Harrington kept Santa Clara's bats quiet after the first inning last night. The two seniors led the Rainbows to an 8-1 victory over the Broncos in the season opener for both teams.

Hawaii    Santa Clara 8 1 Next Up vs. Santa Clara today

A crowd of 1,767 (2,684 tickets issued) at Les Murakami Stadium saw the Rainbows make their first step toward matching or surpassing last year's 45-17 record.

But the victory was tempered by the loss of junior starting second baseman Jon Hee, who suffered a left-shoulder subluxation while making a diving stop of a ball in the sixth inning.

Hee missed eight games (in 20 days) last year with what coach Mike Trapasso said was an "eerily similar" injury.

Trapasso said last night he did not know how long Hee, who was 2-for-3 before the injury, would be out this time. He was replaced by sophomore Nate Young.

"That's the one guy I hate to lose for any length of time," Trapasso said. "He's the heart and soul of the team and we're thin up the middle."

Freshman Kevin Macdonald will also play second some with Hee out, and starting left fielder Jorge Franco will "take ground balls at second" in practice, Trapasso said.

Other than Hee's injury, there was a lot for the Rainbows to be happy about.

Sanchez, one of five newcomers to the starting lineup, drilled three hits, including two doubles. He drove in two runs and scored twice, leading Hawaii's 14-hit attack.

He had little trouble with Santa Clara's left-handed ace, Matthew Wickswat.

"It feels good to come out tonight and have success against a lefty," said Sanchez, who played behind Luis Avila last year. "It definitely gave me some confidence and then the righty comes in and I'm seeing the ball real big."

Harrington, who went 9-3 last year, allowed seven hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out no one, but also did not allow an extra-base hit after the Broncos scored their only run in the first.

"I felt like as the game progressed I got better," said Harrington, who allowed one run in the first. "I let my adrenaline get the best of me early, but I settled down. And guys were flying around making plays behind me."

Jayson Kramer finished up with 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Santa Clara's Kevin Drever led off the game with a double the other way on a 2-2 pitch, the ball falling just inside the third-base line.

Drever moved to third on Tommy Medica's sacrifice bunt and scored when Matt Long won an 11-pitch battle with Harrington, doubling past first baseman Sanchez's dive toward the line.

Hawaii matched the run in the second. Landon Hernandez singled to left, scoring Sanchez, who led off the inning with a double.

"I fully expect him to go out there and get good swings every time," Trapasso said of Sanchez. "He's done it in practices and in games when we put him in."

The Rainbows chased Wickswat with four runs on three singles and three walks in the third.

Evan Zimny and Hernandez both hit two-out run-scoring singles after Sanchez drew a bases-loaded walk and Eli Christensen brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to right. Hawaii led 5-1.

Zimny finished with three hits in his UH debut.

The Rainbows added to the lead in the sixth with two runs against relievers Steve Kalush and Chris Stansbury.

Sanchez spanked a double off the right-field wall, scoring Young, who had singled and advanced to second when Brandon Haislet was hit by a pitch.

Haislet's single in the eighth drove in Justin Frash, who doubled, for UH's final run.

No. 9 batter Gabe Alcantar singled in all four at-bats for the Broncos. But he also accounted for four of Santa Clara's 10 runners left on base.

Left-hander Mark Rodrigues (4-2, 4.66 ERA last year) is scheduled to start for Hawaii in today's 1:05 p.m. game. Santa Clara counters with freshman right-hander Nate Garcia.

The teams conclude the series with a single game tomorrow, also starting at 1:05 p.m. Santa Clara expects to start Justin Kuehn (3-6, 6.75), while UH's starter is to be announced. JC transfer right-hander Josh Schneider has been declared eligible and could start tomorrow if he doesn't pitch today.

Right-handed relief pitcher Derek Tarapacki is not yet eligible to throw in games.

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