Box Score

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (24-11, 5-3 WAC) defeated the Sacramento State Hornets (9-22, 4-7) 12-9 in 10 innings at Hornet Field Friday. Tyler Davis (5-0) gave up just one earned run in 4.0 innings to earn the victory. Mitch Lively (1-3) took the loss for the Hornets.

Kris Sanchez came up with the big hits for UH, going 3-for-5 with four RBI, one home run, two doubles and two runs. Brandon Haislet added a 4-for-5 game with a home run, a double, two RBI and three runs. Vinnie Catricala added a 2-for-5 game with three runs and a home run while Elijah Christensen went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Landon Hernandez also went 3-for-5 with a run while Jonathan Hee was 2-for-4 with one run.

The Rainbows jumped out early, scoring a run on a RBI-single by Haislet, putting UH up 1-0 in the first inning. Christensen drove in Catricala in the second to make it 2-0. But the 'Bows missed an opportunity to really blow it open, leaving a bases-loaded, one-out situation without getting a run.

The Hornets started to make their way back into game by way of the long ball. Montana Dye hit a home run to straight-away center field in the bottom of the second, cutting it back to 2-1. David Flores, the next Hornet batter, hit a deep fly to center, but Haislet caught it at the fence, keeping UH's slight one-run lead.

Haislet returned the favor in the top of the third, hitting a solo home run that went off the parking structure past the left field fence. Sacramento State came back with runs in the third and fourth innings, tying the score at 3-3.

Kris Sanchez sacrificed in a run in the top of the fifth to give Hawai`i the lead back at 4-3. But the Hornets again tied it up in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on a sacrifice squeeze play, getting it to 4-4.

Catricala led off the sixth with a solo home run, the first of his collegiate career, again giving the Rainbows the lead at 5-4. Derek DuPree added another run in the inning on a sacrifice fly to get the UH edge to 6-4. Sac State again struck back in the bottom of the seventh, as Gabe Jacobo hit a solo home run, cutting their deficit back to 6-5.

The Hornets then came up with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, the second on a infield single that took a bad bounce off Christensen's face at shortstop, allowing Sacramento State to take their first lead at 7-6.

Sanchez came up big in the top of the ninth, blasting a two-run home run, giving Hawai`i back the lead at 8-7. But the Hornets again came up with the answer in the bottom of the ninth. With runners on the corners, Jeff Hannah grounded to second. Hee made the play to second for the force out, but Christensen's throw to first was just a little behind Hannah, allowing the Hornets to score on a fielder's choice, tying the game at 8-8. Davis was able to pick off Hannah at first soon after, sending the game into extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, Sanchez again brought UH the heroics, doubling in Jorge Franco to give Hawai`i back the lead at 9-8. Matt Roquemore added two more runs on a pinch-hit, two-run double, before Christensen drove in one more to give the Rainbows the 12-8 cushion.

Sacramento State was able to get a run in the bottom of the 10th, before Davis was able to shut the door with his third strikeout of the day, ending the game 12-9.

The two teams will close out the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. (PT).

-UH-