Boxers Split FInal Games In Big Island Series
Game 1 Box Score |
Game 2 Box Score
HILO, Hawaii – Pacific put together their best offensive performance thus far in the young 2012 season to earn their first victory as the Boxers closed out a four-game series with Hawaii Hilo with a baseball doubleheader split at Wong Stadium.
Kevin Schwartz (Sr., Milwaukie, Ore.) finished with three hits and three runs batted in as he and
Nick Tasaka (Jr., Hawaii Kai, Hawaii) keyed a five-run fourth inning that led the Boxers to an 8-6 win in the opener. The bats went quiet in the second game, though, as three Vulcans' pitchers threw a three-hitter to give the home team a 5-1 win.
In addition to Schwartz's three hits, Tasaka and
Jared Van Hoon (Sr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) each had two hits as the Boxers pounded out 12 hits in the opener.
Donnie Bradley (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) had two of Pacific's three hits in the nightcap as he earned his first starts of the season.
Pacific improved to 1-3 on the season while Hawaii Hilo, Division II members of the Pacific West Conference, improved to 3-5.
GAME 1 – PACIFIC 8, HAWAII HILO 6
Pacific got the bats going early in the opener and never trailed in the game.
Nate Rasmussen (Sr., Sandy, Utah) and Schwartz knocked back-to-back hits in the first, with Rasmussen scoring on
Greg Tellez's (Sr., White Salmon, Wash.) sacrifice fly. Van Hoon made it a 2-0 game in the second when he doubled and later scored on a single by Schwartz. Hawaii Hilo halved the score in the home half of the third when Brad Fairweather scored on a two-out single by Joshua Wong.
The Boxers broke the game open with their five-run fourth inning.
Jordan Siu (Jr., Redmond, Wash.) reached when he was hit by a pitch while Bradley and
Trux French (Jr., Kennewick, Wash.) followed with singles to load the bases. Tasaka capitalized with a long single to right field to score Bradley and Siu. Van Hoon singled home French against reliever Bryan Raines and Schwartz followed two batters later with a rolling two-out single through the left side that scored Von Hoon and Tasaka.
Pacific parlayed an error into an insurance run in the seventh. Schwartz walked to open the frame, advanced to second on Tellez's single and made it to third on a bunt by
Logan Moen (Jr., Brier, Wash.) that was misplayed by Raines. Schwartz later scored on a ground ball.
The Vulcans did their past to climb back into the game after the Boxers' five-run fourth. Wong added three in the sixth with his three-run homer to left field and Fairweather brought the Vulcans within 8-5 when he doubled to lead off the seventh and scored on a sacrifice fly.
Hawaii Hilo was down to it's last out in the ninth when Keenan Kaluau walked, John Abreu singled and both runners got into scoring position on a wild pitch thrown by starter
Chad Fahey (Sr., Keizer, Ore.). Kaulau scored on the second wild pitch of the frame, this one thrown by the closer Rasmussen, before Johnathan James was coaxed into a line out to close the game.
Fahey put together a solid outing to earn his first win of the season, allowing six runs on eight hits with five walks and three strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work. Rasmussen earned the Boxers' first save of the season. Hawaii Hilo starter Tyler Simao took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits with a strikeout in 3.1 innings. Wong led Hawaii Hilo by going 2 for 3 with four RBIs.
GAME 2 – HAWAII HILO 5, PACIFIC 1
After their impressive offensive outing in the opener, Pacific found the bats quieted in the second game as the Boxers pounded out just two runs in the first five innings against Hawaii Hilo starter Dane Kinoshita.
The Vulcans capitalized by scoring all five of their runs in those same five innings. Wong opened scoring when he led off the second with a walk and scored on a ground out. He then made it a 2-0 game in the fourth when he singled up the middle to open the frame and then scored on a wild pitch.
Hawaii Hilo added the knockout blow with a three-run fifth inning. Travis Stancil led off with a single and Tyler Nitahira reached when he was hit by a pitch. Abreu followed with a single down the left field side, scoring Stancil from second. After a strikeout and fielder's choice ground out, Wong added two more when he tripled to center field, scoring James and Abreu.
Pacific scored their only run without the aid of a hit in the sixth. Alex Okanek (Jr., Shelton, Wash.) opened the inning with a walk, advanced to second thanks to an error and went to third on a walk issued to Rasmussen. Okanek came home when Schwartz hit into a double play.
Kinoshita earned his first win of the season for the Vulcans with a great outing, allowing two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in five innings. Casey Bohlmann notched his second save of the year, striking our all three batters he faced in the seventh.
Tyler Kotchik (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) took the loss in his first collegiate start, allowing three runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts in four innings.
After a travel day to relocate from the Big Island to Oahu, the Boxers will finish their seven-game Hawaii swing with a three-game set against Hawaii Pacific. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. (HST). Hawaii Hilo returns to action with a leap day single against Pac West opponent Grand Canyon on Wed., Feb. 29.
