HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow)– The University of Hawaii baseball team was one strike
away from notching its first victory of the season but couldn't hold on in a
7-5 loss to Rice on Sunday afternoon at Les Murakami Stadium. The Rainbows
(0-7) were one strike away from the win but saw Rice (5-2) score three runs in
the top of the ninth.
Lawrence Chew (0-1), on in relief of starter Corey MacDonald,
was one strike away from the save. Chew worked the count full with two outs to Keenan
Cook (2 H, 2 R, 1 RBI), who promptly slapped Chew's pitch to left field and
score Skyler Ewing (1 R) from third base to tie the game. The Owls tacked on
another pair of runs when reliever Bryan Burgher walked and hit a
batter, both with the bases loaded.
Alan Baldwin had two hits and scored one run in his first collegiate
appearance, and Adam Hurley notched a hit and two RBI.
Shane Hoeschler and Christian Stringer both had three hits and one run for Rice
with Stringer adding four RBI. Chase McDowell (1-0) worked six and one-third
innings of relief for the win and Zech Lemond earned the save (3).
The Owls struck first with a pair of runs in the first inning. MacDonald
retired the first two batters, but ran into trouble when he walked Hoeschler
then gave up a run-scoring double to Stringer. Stringer was driven home by John
Williamson's single on the next at bat.
In a turn of events that were long overdue, the 'Bows exploded for five runs in
the second inning. Kalei Hanawahine (1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI) drove home
Baldwin with a base hit to open the scoring, and the inning was capped by
Hurley's two-RBI single up the middle. Owl starter Kevin McCanna was lifted
with two outs in the inning but not before surrendering five runs, three of
them earned.
After allowing four runs in the first three innings, MacDonald found his grove
and pitched scoreless ball before being lifted after seven complete innings for
Chew. MacDonald allowed four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. Chew
allowed a base hit, but came up big when he struck out Leon Byrd (0-3) with
runners at the corners to preserve the lead, one he eventually relinquished.
The series concludes Monday when the two teams meet at Les Murakami Stadium at
6:35 p.m.
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