Box Score
HONOLULU –
Lawrence Chew earned his first win in a starting role and
Stephen Ventimilia recorded a game-high three hits, as the University of Hawai'i baseball team topped UC Davis, 7-1, in their series finale on Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Rainbows (17-12) dominated the April Fool's Day game on both offense and defense. Chew (2-1) surrendered one unearned run and allowed just two hits in six innings of work before
Kyle Dowdy came in and collected a three-inning save. UH, the Western Athletic Conference leader in double plays, turned three on the afternoon.
Pi'ikea Kitamura hit 2-3 with run and two RBI, and
Billy Nottingham added two runs scored. Kitamura batted .467 for the series to lead all hitters.
UC Davis (11-13) used five pitchers, with starter Evan Wolf (0-2) taking the loss. He pitched 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with five strikeouts. Ryan Allgrove and Paul Politi recorded the two hits for the Aggies.
UCD scored the game's first run, but the 'Bows evened things up on an RBI-hit by Kitamura in the third inning. He ripped a pitch that Politi couldn't handle at third base, and beat out the throw to first.
Conner George was able to sprint home on the play and plate UH's first run.
The 'Bows then added to their lead with a pair of runs in fifth inning.
Kaeo Aliviado (1 H, 1 RBI) pulled a pitch through the right side of the infield to score Nottingham from second and give UH the lead. Then with Ventimilia on third, Kitamura perfectly executed a sacrifice squeeze to send Ventimilia home.
UH added runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pull away for the series win.
There were 2,915 tickets issued for the contest, and a turnstile count of 1,538.
Hawai'i next hosts Fresno State to open Western Athletic Conference play. The Rainbows and Bulldogs finished as the 2011 WAC co-regular season champions, but UH was upended by Fresno State in the WAC Tournament final. UH and FS will play a three-game series from Apr. 5-7.
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