Box Score

HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (22-24, 14-11 WAC) defeated the Sacramento State Hornets (19-25, 10-10) 8-3 in front of a crowd of 2,842 in the series-opener at Les Murakami Stadium Friday. Jared Alexander (7-3) got the win, going 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Jose Ramirez (4-5) took the loss for Sacramento State, while Sam Spangler pitched 3.2 scoreless innings to get a save.

Brandon Haislet went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the 'Bows. Vinnie Catricala added a 3-for-4 game with two runs and one RBI, extending his hitting streak to 14 games. Jonathan Hee finished up 2-for-3 with one RBI, a run and a double. Landon Hernandez was 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI while Greg Garcia went 1-for-3 with two runs.

The Rainbows got on the scoreboard first in in the fourth inning. After a single by Catricala and a double by Garcia, Hernandez blasted a ground-rule double to rightfield, giving UH a 2-0 edge.

Kevin Macdonald sacrificed in a run in the fifth inning before Catricala drove in another, pushing UH's lead to 4-0.

But the Hornets answered in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs after Alexander was forced to leave the game in the top of the sixth, cutting the score back to 4-3.

Hawai`i added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI-single by Haislet. The 'Bows then blew it open in the seventh, scoring three runs, driven in by Hernandez, Hee and Haislet, pushing them to an 8-3 advantage.

That was more than enough run support for Spangler, who retired the final seven Hornet batters of the game, giving UH the 8-3 victory.

The two teams continue the series with a doubleheader tomorrow at 1:05 p.m.

-UH-