Rainbows finish sweep in Hilo with 7-2 win

HILO » Hawaii baseball coach Mike Trapasso got what he wanted out of the Rainbows' trip to the Big Island -- three wins and three solid outings from the pitching staff.

Hawaii    UH-Hilo 7 2 Next Up at Nevada, on May 12

After Ian Harrington and Matt Daly flirted with no-hitters the previous two games, UH left-hander Mark Rodrigues wasn't quite as dominant yesterday but turned in a solid seven innings as the Rainbows completed a sweep of UH-Hilo with a 7-2 win at Wong Stadium.

Rodrigues (8-2) scattered six hits, struck out three and walked none to pick up the win. Tyler Davis struck out three in two innings of shutout relief for the Rainbows (31-19) and was credited with his fourth save of the season.

"Obviously, that was our focal point going in, three wins and three quality starts, and we did that," Trapasso said after the 'Bows extended their winning streak against their in-state rivals to 13.

The series finale was a tighter battle than the first two games, won by the Rainbows by a combined score of 18-1, with Harrington and Daly allowing just two hits between them.

UH-Hilo starter Lars Knepper (3-8) kept the Vulcans close in his six innings yesterday. He struck out eight and walked one, but took the loss for UHH, which closed its season at 12-35-1.

After surrendering a two-run triple to UH first baseman Kris Sanchez in the first inning, Knepper retired 11 of the next 13 Rainbows, and the Vulcans scored single runs in the second and third to tie the game.

The Rainbows reclaimed the advantage in the fifth when Jon Hee reached on a error and scored the go-ahead run on Derek DuPree's double to the left-center-field gap.

The Vulcans threatened in the bottom of the inning, as David Chu tripled to center with one out. But Rodrigues got Michael Higa to pop out to third and A.J. Satele to fly out to right to end the inning and strand Chu, who went 3-for-4 in his final game for UH-Hilo.

UH then padded the lead in the sixth, with Hee delivering a two-out, two-run single up the middle to score Sanchez and Vinnie Catricala, putting the 'Bows ahead 5-2.

Justin Frash capped the scoring in the ninth with his second home run of the series, a two-run shot to right field.

"Today was good for us," Trapasso said. "We faced some adversity, Knepper was really one of the better guys we've faced this year. He had a really good slider.

"That's what I was really proud of with our team, that we were able to score some runs off a quality pitcher."

The Rainbows focus on final exams this week before returning to Western Athletic Conference play with a three-game series at Nevada starting on Saturday.

"Nevada's the hottest team in our league right now; they're playing lights out," said Trapasso, who will head to the mainland for a recruiting trip tomorrow and meet up with the team in Reno.