Hawai'i
Cal Poly, Hawai'i Trade Lopsided 10-Run Decisions in Big West Twinbill
4/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Cal Poly and Hawai'i traded lopsided 10-run baseball decisions in a Big West Conference doubleheader Saturday inside Baggett Stadium.
The visiting Rainbow Warriors exploded for 11 runs on 18 hits to win the opener 11-1 and the host Mustangs answered with a 22-hit explosion for a 15-5 triumph in the nightcap.
The split resulted in an 11-18 overall record and 3-2 Big West mark for Cal Poly. Hawai'i owns a 19-10 record for the season and 1-1 in the Big West.
In the second game, the top eight batters in the Cal Poly lineup all produced two or three hits and three Mustang pitchers combined to strike out 16 Hawai'i batters. The 22-hit outburst was the most for Cal Poly since collecting 22 hits against Pacific in 2011 and the most given up by Hawai'i since Mike Trapasso's first season as head coach in 2002.
Center fielder Alex McKenna (pictured above), left fielder Josh George, shortstop Kyle Marinconz, second baseman Scott Ogrin and right fielder Colby Barrick all had three hits for the Mustangs. Marinconz drove in three runs while McKenna, catcher Nick Meyer, Barrick and designated hitter Kevin Morgan each knocked in a pair of runs.
All of Marinconz's hits were doubles, becoming the 12th Mustang in Division I history to double three times in a single game.
Sophomore right-hander Spencer Howard (2-0) (pictured at left) struck out nine over 5 2/3 innings and gave up two earned runs and three hits for the victory. The loss went to southpaw Dominic DeMiero (4-2), who entered the game with a 1.82 ERA but surrendered five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Though Cal Poly won by 10 runs, the Mustangs had to overcome an early 3-0 deficit. Cal Poly batted around in both the five-run third-inning rally as well as a four-run fifth-inning uprising. Eight Mustang batters produced four runs in the eighth.
Hawai'i's six hits included two each by left fielder Alex Fitchett and second baseman Johnny Weeks.
In the opener, senior right-hander Brendan Hornung earned his third complete-game victory of the 2017 season, tossing a six-hitter to lead Hawai'i to the 11-1 victory.
Hawai'i center fielder Dylan Vchulek led his team's 18-hit offensive attack with a 4-for-6 day at the plate with one RBI. Catcher Kekai Rios and designated hitter Logan Pouelsen each contributed three hits.
The Rainbow Warriors led all the way, scoring twice in the first inning for a 2-0 lead and, after giving up Cal Poly's only run of the game in the second frame, added three in the third and two more in both the fourth and sixth frames to pull away.
Hornung (4-2) struck out six, walked one and threw 104 pitches.
The loss went to Mustang junior right-hander Erich Uelmen (1-5) as he allowed seven runs and 10 hits over four innings, his shortest stint on the mound this season. The runs and hits are the second-most he has allowed in his collegiate career.
Cal Poly's six hits included two each by McKenna and Meyer. Designated hitter Elijah Skipps singled to drive in Cal Poly's lone run of the game.
Rubber game of the series will be played Sunday at 1 o'clock with Cal Poly sophomore right-hander Bobby Ay (0-3, 4.50 ERA) to face Hawai'i junior right-hander Neil Uskali (3-1, 3.23 ERA).
