HONOLULU – Kevin Macdonald hit a walk-off single to left field in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (7-6) a 6-5 victory over the Loyola Marymount Lions (8-7) in front of a crowd of 2,084 at Les Murakami Stadium Thursday. Josh Slaats (2-1) got the win while LMU's Xavier Esquivel (2-2) got the loss.

 

Vinnie Catricala had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a triple, a double, two walks and two RBI, falling just a home run short of the cycle. Matt Roquemore added a 2-for-4 game with two doubles, one RBI and two runs while Greg Garcia went 2-for-5 with two runs, including the game-winner.

 

Catricala put the Rainbows on the board first, hitting a two-run triple to right field, giving UH a 2-0 edge.

 

Hawai`i added to the lead in the sixth. Hoey and Roquemore hit back-to-back RBI doubles before Roquemore scored on a wild pitch, running the lead to 5-0.

 

But LMU mounted a late comeback, starting in the seventh inning. The Lions scored one run in the seventh before a two-run double by Ryan Wheeler capped a three-run eighth, putting LMU within a run at 5-4.

 

In the top of the ninth, Sam Spangler got the first two outs before a Rainbow error gave the Lions new life. Shon Roe then singled to center, tying the game at 5-5.

 

Hawai`i had a chance to put it away in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with just one out. But Esquivel struck out the final two batters, sending the game to extra innings.

 

In the top of the 10th, the Lions also loaded the bases with just one out. But Roquemore completed a big double play on a fly ball to left, throwing out the tagging runner at the plate to keep the score tied.

 

In the bottom of the 10th, Garcia got on with a walk before moving to second on a stolen base. After the Lions intentionally walked Catricala, Macdonald came up with his heroics, singling in Garcia to give UH the exciting 6-5 win.

 

The two teams continue the series tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. at Les Murakami Stadium with another 6:35 p.m. game on Saturday, March 14, before the finale at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday, March 15.