Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (26-27, 18-14 WAC) won a back-and-forth battle over the New Mexico State Aggies (26-29, 13-15) 15-14 in the second game of the doubleheader at Presley Askew Field Saturday. Sam Spangler (1-3) got the win for UH while Erik Nyquist (1-2) got the loss for NMSU. Jayson Kramer came in late to pick up his fifth save of the season.

Brandon Haislet continued a great day, going 4-for-5 with three RBI and four runs. Jonathan Hee added a 3-for-5 game with three runs, one double and one RBI. Kevin Macdonald was 2-for-5 with four RBI and a home run while Greg Garcia went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer.

The 'Bows scored in the top of the first for the third time in the series, as Garcia blasted a two-run homer to centerfield to put UH up 2-0. Vinnie Catricala later added a two-run single in the first, giving Hawai`i the early 4-0 edge.

NMSU came right back with two runs in the bottom of the first, cutting it to 4-2. The Aggies then added a run in the third and another in the fourth, tying the score at 4-4.

Hawai`i took the lead back in the top of the fifth as Haislet and Macdonald both drove in runs to give the Rainbows a 6-4 lead.

But New Mexico State came up with their big inning, just like in the Friday game, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fifth. The inning was highlighted by a grand slam by Leo Aguirre, giving the Aggies a 12-6 advantage.

Hawai`i fought back in the top of the sixth with a huge two-out rally. Hee, Haislet and Jeffrey Van Doornum had consecutive RBI-singles before Macdonald hit a three-run home run to right, tying the score at 12-12.

The Aggies looked like they would break the tie in the bottom of the sixth as Aguirre hit another long drive to rightfield that looked like it would leave the yard. But Van Doornum ran to the wall, jumped and reached over the wall, robbing Aguirre of the homer and keeping the game tied.

UH took advantage in the top of the seventh as Haislet drove in another run before scoring on an error, giving the 'Bows a 14-12 edge. But that didn't last long as Joseph Scaperotta posted a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh, tying the score again at 14-14.

Landon Hernandez led off the eighth with a solo home run to give the Rainbows back the lead at 15-14. And that lead would hold, thanks largely to the efforts of Kramer, who allowed two hits in 1.2 innings while striking out two to close out UH's victory.

Hawai`i will return home for the final series of the season, facing Utah Valley for a three-game series from May 15-17.

-UH-