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The University of Hawaii baseball team lost its narrow lead, its arguments and, eventually, Sunday’s Big West game — 7-1 — to UC Irvine.
A crowd of 1,656 in Les Murakami saw the Anteaters score six runs in a seventh inning drenched in controversy. By winning the Sunday matinee, the Anteaters won two in the three-game series and improved to 15-8 overall and 5-1 in the Big West. The Rainbow Warriors dropped to 8-14 and 2-4.
UH head coach Rich Hill, who was ejected in the seventh inning, spent the rest of the game in his office. Catcher DallasJ Duarte was ejected in the ninth inning for disputing a pitch that umpire Jason Rogers called a fourth ball. There is a possibility Duarte will be suspended for Friday’s road game against UC Santa Barbara.
The outcome spoiled a game in which shortstop Kyson Donahue belted his first home run of the season and reliever Blaze Koali‘i Pontes allowed two hits in 41⁄3 scoreless innings.
“Koali‘i was phenomenal,” Hill said. “It was great to see that out of him. He really extended his outing. We were trying to get to (relievers Cameron) Hagan and (Tai) Atkins.”
Hagan replaced Pontes at the start of the seventh with the Bows ahead, 1-0. Hagan’s first pitch struck Abraham Garcia-Pacheco. It was the 11th hit by pitch Hagan has administered in 15 innings. Beaning the leadoff hitter can be costly “not only for the University of Hawaii, but the Boston Red Sox, as well,” Hill said. “I don’t know what the percentages are, but it’s not good for the defensive team.”
Luke Spillane then grounded to Hagan, who fired to Donahue for the forceout at second. Spillane went to second on pinch hitter Jacob Castro’s single to right.
Left-hander Harry Gustin replaced Hagan, and his first pitch hit Ben Fitzgerald to load the bases. Woody Hadeen pulled a grounder through the left side to bring home Spillane to tie the game at 1.
Nathan Church, an All-Big West outfielder a year ago, sizzled a grounder that eluded first baseman Jacob Igawa for a two-run error for a 3-1 lead.
With Hadeen on third, Thomas McCaffrey put down a bunt. Gustin fielded the ball, then threw to Duarte, who tagged Hadeen. Rogers ruled that Hadeen was safe. But UH challenged the call. After a video review, the umpires ruled that Duarte had applied the tag in time, but obstructed Hadeen from touching the plate, making it 4-1.
During the ensuing argument, Hill was ejected for the second time this season. “I thought Harry did a good job of bouncing off the mound,”Hill said. “I thought Dallas did a good job.”
Hill is permitted to give his eye-witness perspective but not his opinion while the result of an official protest is pending. “It’ll be reviewed by the conference office,” Hill said.
UCI coach Ben Orloff said the umpires “had a better view of home plate, and they had the video. I’m sure they got it right.”
Hill, who wanted to replace Gustin with Atkins at the time, was told he could not make a change because he already had been ejected. That ruling also is being officially protested.
One out later, Dub Gleed singled up the middle, bringing home McCaffrey and Church to extend the Anteaters’ lead to 6-1.
“We pitched really well,” said Orloff, who went to the bullpen after Donahue homered with two outs in the second. “We hung around and hung around. We pitched well enough until we had a big inning.”
Five UCI relievers combined to allow five hits and two walks while striking out seven of the 26 batters they faced. “The bullpen has been the strength of the team,” Orloff said. “Today, we got (22) outs out of the bullpen. They’re the big reason why our record is what it is.”
Hill said he was pleased with freshman Cory Ronan, who made his second start, Pontes and Donahue, who underwent hamate surgery six weeks ago. “I’m getting back into the groove,” said Donahue, a Punahou School graduate who transferred to UH from Arizona in August. “Each pitch I’m getting better and better.”
Source: Star
