HONOLULU – The University of Hawai`i Rainbow baseball team (32-25) beat the Nevada Wolf Pack (25-31) 5-4 in 10 innings in the NAPA Auto Parts Western Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament Friday. Nate Klein (3-4) picked up the win in relief while Brock Stassi (6-5) got the loss for Nevada.

 

Vinnie Catricala led the way, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Kolten Wong added a 1-for-3 game with two RBI and a double while Christian Johnson was 1-for-4 with one RBI.

 

Nevada got on the scoreboard first, posting a run in the top of the first. But Wong responded for UH, hitting a two-run double to left-center to give the Rainbows the 2-1 edge.

 

The Pack tied it with a run in the top of the third before Catricala hit a solo home run, his 13th of the season, giving Hawai`i back the lead at 3-2. But Nevada again tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth.  

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Johnson hit a RBI-single to again give the Rainbows the slight lead. But the Pack came up with a big run in the top of the ninth as Shaun Kort hit a RBI-double, tying it at 4-4 and sending the game into extra innings.

 

Nevada had a chance in the top of the 10th, putting runner at second and third. But Klein came up with a big strikeout, keeping the game tied. In the 10th, Kevin Fujii, Ryan Morford and Greg Garcia drew walks before Catricala hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Fujii to give UH the victory.

 

Hawai`i will play Fresno State tomorrow at 3 p.m., with the winner advancing to the championship round on Sunday.

 

-UH-