Box Score

RUSTON, La. - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (27-27, 14-14 WAC) defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (13-38, 9-19) 5-4 at J.C. Love Field Friday. Steven Wright (5-3) got the win while Mitch Tucker (2-5) got the loss for the Bulldogs.

Adam Roberts led the way for the 'Bows, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Derek DuPree added a 1-for-4 game with a triple and a run while Esteban Lopez went 1-for-3 with a double, a run and a RBI. Isaac Omura had his 12-game hitting streak come to a close with an 0-for-4 game with one intentional walk.

Hawai`i picked up the offense in the top of the fourth. Omura led off with a long fly ball that was caught at the wall in right-center. But Tech pitcher Ryan Rupert then started to lose control, walking four-straight Rainbows to bring in a run before Roberts drove in another run on a single to left, putting UH up 2-0.

Louisiana Tech finally got to starter Stephen Bryant in the bottom of the fifth, stringing together four-straight hits to score three runs, taking the lead 3-2.

The `Bows tied it up in the top of the seventh as DuPree hit a triple down the right line before Joseph Spiers drove him in with sacrifice fly to right field. But the tied score didn't last long as Brandon Haygood led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to left, putting the Bulldogs ahead 4-3.

UH then put up two runs in the top of the eighth as Lopez and Roberts both drove in runs, giving the Rainbows a 5-4 edge.

That was just enough for Wright, who pitched 2.2 innings, giving up no runs on just two hits, whils striking out four.

The Rainbows and Bulldogs will play again tomorrow at 3 p.m. Central time (10 a.m. in Hawai`i) at J.C. Love Field.

-uh-