Rainbows rout Hawaii-Hilo
UH makes it 15 in row over UHH
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HAWAII 9, UH-Hilo 2
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Hawaii's inexperienced starting rotation got a big boost from junior college transfer Jared Alexander.
Alexander tossed eight shutout innings in his Rainbows debut and Jon Hee and Vinnie Catricala each homered as Hawaii defeated Hawaii-Hilo 9-2 yesterday at Les Murakami Stadium.
For the second straight game, no Rainbows hitter had more than one hit. Hee's two-run blast ignited a six-run eighth inning as the Rainbows pulled away late.
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FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Jared Alexander pitched eight shutout innings in a win over Hawaii-Hilo yesterday.
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Junior right-hander Jared Alexander didn't have much to say after his first collegiate start for the Rainbows.
He let his performance on the mound do most of the talking.
Alexander tossed eight shutout innings and Jon Hee blasted the first home run of his career as the Rainbows made it 15 wins in a row over Hawaii-Hilo with a 9-2 victory yesterday in front of a crowd of 754 at Les Murakami Stadium
Vinnie Catricala added a solo homer in the seventh, but the Rainbows once again waited until late to come alive offensively, blowing the game open with a six-run eighth inning.
"We got out to a two-run lead early, but then just kind of sat on it," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "If you let people hang around, bad things can happen. You can't be happy taking three runs on five hits into the eighth inning."
Fortunately for Hawaii (2-0), it didn't matter as Alexander overcame a shaky 26-pitch first frame to last eight innings in picking up the win.
"It was good except the first inning," a soft-spoken Alexander said of his first start in a Rainbows uniform. "I turned the page and moved on. I had to find my mechanics."
Alexander walked two of the first four batters he faced and allowed the leadoff man to reach base in the first two innings. But for the second night in a row, the Vulcans (0-2) couldn't capitalize.
"We couldn't pair up our hits and bunch them up as necessary," Vulcans coach Joey Estrella said. "When Alexander is throwing that well, it makes it tough."
Alexander found his rhythm and kept the Vulcans at bay from the second inning on. He never threw more than 12 pitches in any of his final six innings and retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced.
"I didn't think he was going to last very long," Trapasso said. "I wasn't going to sit through another pitching performance where we walk every other guy. Once he got the first couple of innings out of the way he really settled down and did what he is capable of doing."
Hawaii's offense did just enough early to stake Alexander to a two-run lead. Hee led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and quickly stole second. Derek DuPree then blooped a double down the left-field line to drive in Hee. Two batters later, Kevin Macdonald slashed a RBI single to right to make it 2-0.
Vulcans starting pitcher Joe Davis also overcame a slow first inning to give up just one run over the next five. He made it into the seventh before surrendering the homer to Catricala.
"That's all we ask from our guys, you know, to battle and throw strikes," Estrella said. "I thought (Davis) was getting better toward the end of his pitch count, but it's early (in the season) to try to go over 90 pitches no matter what he's doing."
Catricala's shot over the left field wall put the Rainbows up 3-0. Not to be outdone, Hee added his two-run shot in the eighth inning off of Emil DeAndreis to push the lead to five.
Sean Montplaisir poured it on with a two-run single to right that scored Jeffrey Van Doornum and Macdonald. After Landon Hernandez struck out, pinch-hitter Matt Roquemore blooped a two-run double down the left-field line to cap off the six-run inning.
The Vulcans roughed up freshman left-hander Sam Spangler for two runs in the ninth. Dayne Ogawa got the Vulcans on the board with a RBI double to left, and A.J. Satele scored on a fielder's choice for the final run.
The Rainbows look to get the sweep in the season finale today beginning at 1:05 p.m.
Hawaii 9, Hawaii-Hilo 2
UHH |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Hawaii |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Trias lf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Hee 2b |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Brown ss |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
DuPree dh |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Higa 2b |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
Van Doornum ph |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Satele 1b |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Haislet cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Rodgers c |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Macdonald 1b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Ogawa cf |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
Catricala 3b |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Lee dh |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Montplaisir lf |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Obed ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Hernandez c |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Manago rf |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Zimny rf |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Kessel 3b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Roquemore ph/rf |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Garcia ss |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Totals |
32 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
Totals |
29 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
UHH |
000 |
000 |
002 |
-- |
2 |
7 |
0 |
Hawaii |
200 |
000 |
16x |
-- |
9 |
9 |
1 |
E--Catricala. DP--UHH 3, Hawaii 2. LOB--UHH 6, Hawaii 3. 2B--Ogawa; DuPree; Van Doornum; Roquemore. HR--Hee; Catricala . SB--Hee. CS--Trias; DuPree.
UHH |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Davis (L, 0-1) |
6 1/3 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
DeAndreis |
2/3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Holley |
1/3 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Koizumi |
2/3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Hawaii |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Alexander (W, 1-0) |
8 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
Spangler |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
WP--Koizumi. HBP--by Davis (DuPree); by DeAndreis (Garcia); by Holley (Haislet); by Holley (Catricala). BK--Davis.
Umpires-- Ryan Arasato(plate); Dan Farnsworth(first).
T--2:36. A--754.