Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. – The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (16-38, 5-23) fell to the Fresno State Bulldogs (30-27, 17-11) 5-3 in front of 2,715 fans at Pete Beiden Field Friday night. Ben Fritz (9-5) got the win for Fresno State, while Chris George (6-6) picked up the loss for UH. Chad Edwards also picked up his second save of the year.

Danny Mocny started the game off well for the 'Bows with a leadoff triple off the right field wall before Brent Cook sacrifice flied him in to put Hawai`i up 1-0 in the first inning.

Fresno State tied the game up in the bottom of the second with a sacrifice fly of their own. UH then took back the lead in the top of the fourth when Julian Russell hit a two-out double to drive in Derek Honma. Russell then came around to score on a Bulldog error, putting Hawai`i up 3-1.

The Bulldogs came back in the bottom of the fifth, when Joey Myers hit a two-out blast over the right field fence two drive in two runs and tie the game at three. Fresno State again had a huge threat in the bottom of the sixth with runners on second and third with just one out. But Mocny made a great defensive play, catching a line drive at third base before tagging the runner at third for the unassisted double play. George then helped himself out of a jam, striking out the final out of the seventh inning with runners on second and third again.

But the 'Bows couldn't keep the Bulldogs for long as Fresno State scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to give coach Bob Bennett his 1,300th win of his career, 5-3.

Derek Honma provided the biggest bat for the Rainbows, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Julian Russell also hit well, going 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.

The two teams will face off again tomorrow at Pete Beiden Field with a 7:15 p.m. start time. Ricky Bauer is set to start for the 'Bows with Bob Runyan scheduled to pitch for Fresno State.