LONG BEACH, Calif. — A late-inning rally fell just short as the Hawai'i baseball team dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker to Long Beach State on Saturday at Blair Field.
Despite a 11-hit attack and a ninth-inning home run from
Gabe Wright, the Rainbow Warriors (10-8, 1-4 Big West) couldn't overcome an early four-run deficit, evening the series at one game apiece.
Long Beach State jumped on Hawaii starter
Hekili Robello in the first inning, using a three-run home run by Dalen Lina to take a quick 4-0 lead. It was a rare rough start for Robello (3-1), who had entered the game with a 1.14 ERA but gave up seven runs on six hits.
The UH offense showed plenty of fight, clawing back with a three-run second inning fueled by a two-run single from
Jake Redding and a
Tate Shimao RBI knock. Hawaii tied the game with a pair of runs in the third when
Draven Nushida delivered a sacrifice fly and
Kody Watanabe came up with a run-scoring double to make it 5-5.
In the top of the ninth, Wright gave the Hawai'i some life by launching a solo home run down the left-field line to cut the deficit to one.
Ben Zeigler-Namoa followed with a single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but Long Beach State reliever Alex Ramos got a strikeout and induced a groundout to end the game.
Saul Soto kept the Rainbow Warriors in it, facing the minimum over 3.1 innings of relief with three strikeouts and just one walk. Zeigler-Namoa, Watanabe and Redding all turned in two-hit nights while Wright's homer was his first as a 'Bow to pace the offense.
The two teams will meet in a rubber match tomorrow to decide the series. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. HT.
