Box Score

SURPRISE, Ariz. - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (5-3) defeated the Northern Illinois Huskies (0-2) 7-3 in UH's first game in the Coca-Cola Classic at Billy Parker Field on the Surprise Recreation Campus Thursday. Matthew Daly (2-0) pitched 6.2 innings, allowing three runs with six strikeouts to get the victory. Jayson Kramer came on in relief to allow no runs in 2.1 innings to get the save. Matt Jernstad took the loss for NIU

Jeffrey Van Doornum had a great day, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBI. Vinnie Catricala was 3-for-3 with two RBI and a triple while Brandon Haislet was 3-for-4 with a run. Jonathan Hee was 1-for-3 with one RBI and two runs.

The Rainbows opened an early lead as Hee scored on a sacrifice fly by Van Doornum in the first. Hee scored another run in the third, getting driven in by Catricala, to put UH ahead 2-0.

Hawai`i then picked up two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, giving them a 4-0 lead before the Huskies would respond. NIU put up three runs in the top of the seventh to cut the deficit to just a run.

But the 'Bows stepped up in the bottom of the seventh. After Catricala hit a RBI-triple to deep right field, Van Doornum hit a monster home run far over the 400-foot wall in center field, pushing UH's lead to 7-3, which ended up as the final.

Hawai`i will continue their play in the Coca-Cola Classic in Surprise, Ariz., tomorrow, facing the No. 1 Arizona State Sun Devils at Billy Parker Field at 4 p.m. (1 p.m. HST).

-UH-