HONOLULU – The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (8-6) came back to beat the Loyola Marymount Lions (8-8) 3-2 in front of a crowd of 2,639 at Les Murakami Stadium Friday. Connor Little (1-0) pitched 2.2 shutout innings to get the win while Ernie Cho (1-2) allowed three unearned runs in 7.2 innings, taking the loss. Josh Slaats picked up his first save of the season, striking out one in 0.2 innings.

 

Kolten Wong had a double and a run to lead the Rainbows while Sean Montplaisir and Vinnie Caticala scored UH's other two runs.

 

LMU took an early lead as Ryan Wheeler hit a two-run home run to right-center, putting the Lions up 2-0. Cho's bid for a no-hitter went away in the fifth as Matt Roquemore hit an infield single.

 

Hawai`i didn't get it going until the eighth inning. After Roquemore and Montplaisir drew walks to start the inning, Greg Garcia sacrificed the runners over to second and third. Wong then reached on a fielder's choice as the Lions got Roquemore on a play at the plate. After Catricala drew another walk, Montplaisir and Wong scored on a Lion error, tying the game at 2-2. On the very next pitch, Catricala came in on a wild pitch, scoring the go-ahead run.

 

The Lions threatened in the top of the ninth, posting runners on first and second with just one out. Little was then lifted for Slaats before the game got interrupted by a 35-minute rain delay. After the rain passed, Landon Hernandez caught a Lion base runner trying to steal third before Slaats struck out the final batter, ending the game with a whacky 3-2 Hawai`i victory.

 

The series between the Rainbows and LMU continues tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium. The series finale will then follow on Sunday, March 15, with a 1:05 p.m. start time.