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- May 8, 2002
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- 59
UC Santa Barbara averted a sweep with Sunday’s 5-1 baseball victory over Hawaii at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium in Santa Barbara, Calif.
The Gauchos had won 11 home games in a row before falling to the Rainbow Warriors 2-1 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday. By winning the finale of Big West series, the Gauchos improved to 15-6 overall and 5-4 in league play. The ’Bows dropped to 12-10 and 3-6.
Despite winning a Big West series for the first time this season, UH head coach Rich Hill said the goal was to do better than to claim two of three.
In the post-game meeting, Hill told his players: “You’re going to get a lot of praise for the weekend, for everything, but we’re not here to win more games than we lose.”
Against one of the league’s most effective pitching staffs, the ’Bows cobbled six runs and hit .176 during the series. They were able to bring home only one of the seven runners in scoring position.
“We can’t be satisfied with the process it takes to score runs and to keep teams from scoring runs,” Hill said in a telephone interview. “We’re going to continue to hammer the process of what it takes to be a champion and not look at the scoreboard or the standings and absolutely get after it with relentless pursuit of improvement.”
For the 22nd time in as many games, Hill submitted a different starting lineup. In his best performance since excelling during exhibitions in Japan the past November, third baseman Tate Shimao had three hits and reached base in all four plate appearances.
“That was the Tate Shimao we saw in Japan,” Hill said. “That’s a double down the left-field line, a double down the right-field line, putting the ball in play, playing good defense. That was awesome to see out of him.”
First baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa had two hits, including an RBI single in the sixth, and made a diving stop of a sizzling grounder.
“Ben hit the ball hard today,” Hill said. “We’ve been waiting for that. Don’t get me wrong, there were bright spots to this day.”
But with runners at the corners in the third inning, Shimao was caught in a rundown between third and home. He kept the play alive long enough for Kamana Nahaku and Gabe Write to advance to third and second, respectively. Draven Nushida grounded out to end the threat.
The ’Bows again had runners at the corners with one out. Left-hander Van Froling was summoned, and he struck out pinch hitters Tino Bethancourt and Mana Lau Kong, each on three pitches.
“It has nothing to do with batting order or the lineup,” Hill said of the ’Bows’ hitting .209 in nine conference games. “It has everything to do with player production when players get the opportunity. That’s how life is, where opportunity meets preparation, and you perform. It has to do with performance, and we’re searching for that on the offensive side of things.”
Second baseman Jonathan Mendez’s two-out, two-run single extended the Gauchos’ lead to 3-0 in the third inning. The exit speed on Mendez’s hit was clocked at 104 mph.
Mendez, who started the previous 20 games at shortstop, added an RBI single in the fifth.
In the UCSB seventh, William Vasseur hit a two-out single, and then came home when catcher Kamaehu Sanchez fielded Colin Beazizo’s grounder and threw wildly to first.
The ’Bows did not induce a 1-2-3 inning until Saul Soto, the fifth UH pitcher, retired the Gauchos in order in the eighth.
“It’s hard to live your life like,” Hill said. “I think our guys pitched out of jams and did a good job that way.”
The ’Bows finished 3-3 on the two-week road trip. They host Hawaii Pacific on Wednesday, then play Cal State Fullerton in Friday’s opener of a three-game Big West series at Les Murakami Stadium.
“We’ll have a great week,” Hill said. “A lot of individual meetings, a lot of individual work, and we’ll be fired up to play HPU. … Looking forward to the week ahead, and especially being back at the Les.”
BIG WEST BASEBALL STANDINGS
Team
Conference
Overall
W
L
Pct.
GB
W
L
Cal Poly
8
0
1.000
—
14
7
UC San Diego
5
1
1.000
9
11
UC Santa Barbara
5
4
.556
15
6
CS Northridge
5
4
.556
14
9
CS Fullerton
5
4
.556
10
13
UC Davis
4
4
.500
9
11
Hawaii
3
6
.333
12
10
CS Bakersfield
3
6
.333
9
15
Long Beach St.
3
6
.333
8
15
UC Riverside
2
4
.333
7
16
UC Irvine
1
5
.167
9
14
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Friday
Hawaii 2, UC Santa Barbara 1
UC San Diego 12, UC Riverside 6
Oregon State 5, UC Irvine 1
CS Bakersfield 3, Long Beach State 0
CS Northridge 5, CS Fullerton 3
Saturday
x-Oregon State 5, UC Irvine 3
UC Riverside 9, UC San Diego 4
Cal Poly 12, UC Davis 11
Hawaii 3, UC Santa Barbara 1
CS Bakersfield 12, Long Beach State 6
CS Northridge 6, CS Fullerton 2
Sunday
UC San Diego 14, UC Riverside 10
CS Northridge 4, CS Fullerton 1
Long Beach State 5, CS Bakersfield 1
Cal Poly 5, UC Davis 4
x-Oregon State 9, UC Irvine 5
UC Santa Barbara 5, Hawaii 1
Today
UC Davis at Cal Poly
7 a.m.
x-Long Beach State at Fresno State
12:05 p.m.
x-non-conference game
UC SANTA BARBARA 5, HAWAII 1
RAINBOW WARRIORS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Nahaku, cf
4
0
1
0
0
3
1
Wright, rf
4
1
1
0
0
1
1
Nushida, lf
2
0
0
0
2
1
2
Ickes, ss
4
0
0
0
0
0
1
Zeigler-Namoa, 1b
4
0
2
1
0
0
0
Redding, c
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hoffman, ph
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Bethancourt, ph
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
Sanchez, c
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Greco, dh
2
0
1
0
0
1
0
Lau Kong, ph/dh
2
0
0
0
0
2
2
Shimao, 3b
4
0
3
0
0
0
0
Rodriguez, 2b
3
0
0
0
0
1
1
Totals
33
1
8
1
2
10
8
GAUCHOS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Kelly, cf
2
1
1
0
2
0
0
Libed, c
3
2
3
0
1
0
0
Husovsky, 1b
3
0
0
0
1
2
3
Kosciusko, dh
3
1
0
1
2
1
0
Karliner, rf
3
0
0
0
2
1
4
Mendez, 2b
5
0
2
3
0
1
0
Nunez, ss
4
0
0
0
0
0
2
Vasseur, 3b
4
1
1
0
0
0
3
Stagg, lf
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
Beazizo, ph/lf
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Totals
31
5
7
4
8
6
13
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Hawaii
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
8
2
UCSB
1
0
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
5
7
2
PITCHING
HAWAII
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
O’Brien (L, 1-3)
3
2
3
3
3
4
Martin-Grudzielanek
2 1/3
3
1
1
3
0
Garman
2/3
1
0
0
1
1
Tomii
1 1/3
1
1
0
1
1
Soto
1
0
0
0
0
0
UC SANTA BARBARA
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
Montgomery (W, 4-1)
5
5
1
1
2
4
Olivas
1/3
1
0
0
0
0
Froling (S, 1)
3 2/3
2
0
0
0
6
Records: Hawaii (12-10, 3-6 Big West); UC Santa Barbara (15-6, 5-4 Big West)
2B—Shimao 2, Libed. E—Ickes, Sanchez; Nunez, Montgomery. DP—UCSB 1. HBP—Kelly, Libed. SH—Husovsky. SB—Kelly, Libed. CS—Kelly.
HB—O’Brien, Tomii. IBB—O’Brien, Martin-Grudzielanek, Tsubasa.
Umpires—HP: Eduardo Diaz, 1B: Brian Kline, 2B: Eric Peterson, 3B: Isaias Barba.
T—3:15. A—684.
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The Gauchos had won 11 home games in a row before falling to the Rainbow Warriors 2-1 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday. By winning the finale of Big West series, the Gauchos improved to 15-6 overall and 5-4 in league play. The ’Bows dropped to 12-10 and 3-6.
Despite winning a Big West series for the first time this season, UH head coach Rich Hill said the goal was to do better than to claim two of three.
In the post-game meeting, Hill told his players: “You’re going to get a lot of praise for the weekend, for everything, but we’re not here to win more games than we lose.”
Against one of the league’s most effective pitching staffs, the ’Bows cobbled six runs and hit .176 during the series. They were able to bring home only one of the seven runners in scoring position.
“We can’t be satisfied with the process it takes to score runs and to keep teams from scoring runs,” Hill said in a telephone interview. “We’re going to continue to hammer the process of what it takes to be a champion and not look at the scoreboard or the standings and absolutely get after it with relentless pursuit of improvement.”
For the 22nd time in as many games, Hill submitted a different starting lineup. In his best performance since excelling during exhibitions in Japan the past November, third baseman Tate Shimao had three hits and reached base in all four plate appearances.
“That was the Tate Shimao we saw in Japan,” Hill said. “That’s a double down the left-field line, a double down the right-field line, putting the ball in play, playing good defense. That was awesome to see out of him.”
First baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa had two hits, including an RBI single in the sixth, and made a diving stop of a sizzling grounder.
“Ben hit the ball hard today,” Hill said. “We’ve been waiting for that. Don’t get me wrong, there were bright spots to this day.”
But with runners at the corners in the third inning, Shimao was caught in a rundown between third and home. He kept the play alive long enough for Kamana Nahaku and Gabe Write to advance to third and second, respectively. Draven Nushida grounded out to end the threat.
The ’Bows again had runners at the corners with one out. Left-hander Van Froling was summoned, and he struck out pinch hitters Tino Bethancourt and Mana Lau Kong, each on three pitches.
“It has nothing to do with batting order or the lineup,” Hill said of the ’Bows’ hitting .209 in nine conference games. “It has everything to do with player production when players get the opportunity. That’s how life is, where opportunity meets preparation, and you perform. It has to do with performance, and we’re searching for that on the offensive side of things.”
Second baseman Jonathan Mendez’s two-out, two-run single extended the Gauchos’ lead to 3-0 in the third inning. The exit speed on Mendez’s hit was clocked at 104 mph.
Mendez, who started the previous 20 games at shortstop, added an RBI single in the fifth.
In the UCSB seventh, William Vasseur hit a two-out single, and then came home when catcher Kamaehu Sanchez fielded Colin Beazizo’s grounder and threw wildly to first.
The ’Bows did not induce a 1-2-3 inning until Saul Soto, the fifth UH pitcher, retired the Gauchos in order in the eighth.
“It’s hard to live your life like,” Hill said. “I think our guys pitched out of jams and did a good job that way.”
The ’Bows finished 3-3 on the two-week road trip. They host Hawaii Pacific on Wednesday, then play Cal State Fullerton in Friday’s opener of a three-game Big West series at Les Murakami Stadium.
“We’ll have a great week,” Hill said. “A lot of individual meetings, a lot of individual work, and we’ll be fired up to play HPU. … Looking forward to the week ahead, and especially being back at the Les.”
BIG WEST BASEBALL STANDINGS
Team
Conference
Overall
W
L
Pct.
GB
W
L
Cal Poly
8
0
1.000
—
14
7
UC San Diego
5
1
1.000
9
11
UC Santa Barbara
5
4
.556
15
6
CS Northridge
5
4
.556
14
9
CS Fullerton
5
4
.556
10
13
UC Davis
4
4
.500
9
11
Hawaii
3
6
.333
12
10
CS Bakersfield
3
6
.333
9
15
Long Beach St.
3
6
.333
8
15
UC Riverside
2
4
.333
7
16
UC Irvine
1
5
.167
9
14
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Friday
Hawaii 2, UC Santa Barbara 1
UC San Diego 12, UC Riverside 6
Oregon State 5, UC Irvine 1
CS Bakersfield 3, Long Beach State 0
CS Northridge 5, CS Fullerton 3
Saturday
x-Oregon State 5, UC Irvine 3
UC Riverside 9, UC San Diego 4
Cal Poly 12, UC Davis 11
Hawaii 3, UC Santa Barbara 1
CS Bakersfield 12, Long Beach State 6
CS Northridge 6, CS Fullerton 2
Sunday
UC San Diego 14, UC Riverside 10
CS Northridge 4, CS Fullerton 1
Long Beach State 5, CS Bakersfield 1
Cal Poly 5, UC Davis 4
x-Oregon State 9, UC Irvine 5
UC Santa Barbara 5, Hawaii 1
Today
UC Davis at Cal Poly
7 a.m.
x-Long Beach State at Fresno State
12:05 p.m.
x-non-conference game
UC SANTA BARBARA 5, HAWAII 1
RAINBOW WARRIORS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Nahaku, cf
4
0
1
0
0
3
1
Wright, rf
4
1
1
0
0
1
1
Nushida, lf
2
0
0
0
2
1
2
Ickes, ss
4
0
0
0
0
0
1
Zeigler-Namoa, 1b
4
0
2
1
0
0
0
Redding, c
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hoffman, ph
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Bethancourt, ph
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
Sanchez, c
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Greco, dh
2
0
1
0
0
1
0
Lau Kong, ph/dh
2
0
0
0
0
2
2
Shimao, 3b
4
0
3
0
0
0
0
Rodriguez, 2b
3
0
0
0
0
1
1
Totals
33
1
8
1
2
10
8
GAUCHOS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Kelly, cf
2
1
1
0
2
0
0
Libed, c
3
2
3
0
1
0
0
Husovsky, 1b
3
0
0
0
1
2
3
Kosciusko, dh
3
1
0
1
2
1
0
Karliner, rf
3
0
0
0
2
1
4
Mendez, 2b
5
0
2
3
0
1
0
Nunez, ss
4
0
0
0
0
0
2
Vasseur, 3b
4
1
1
0
0
0
3
Stagg, lf
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
Beazizo, ph/lf
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Totals
31
5
7
4
8
6
13
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Hawaii
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
8
2
UCSB
1
0
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
5
7
2
PITCHING
HAWAII
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
O’Brien (L, 1-3)
3
2
3
3
3
4
Martin-Grudzielanek
2 1/3
3
1
1
3
0
Garman
2/3
1
0
0
1
1
Tomii
1 1/3
1
1
0
1
1
Soto
1
0
0
0
0
0
UC SANTA BARBARA
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
Montgomery (W, 4-1)
5
5
1
1
2
4
Olivas
1/3
1
0
0
0
0
Froling (S, 1)
3 2/3
2
0
0
0
6
Records: Hawaii (12-10, 3-6 Big West); UC Santa Barbara (15-6, 5-4 Big West)
2B—Shimao 2, Libed. E—Ickes, Sanchez; Nunez, Montgomery. DP—UCSB 1. HBP—Kelly, Libed. SH—Husovsky. SB—Kelly, Libed. CS—Kelly.
HB—O’Brien, Tomii. IBB—O’Brien, Martin-Grudzielanek, Tsubasa.
Umpires—HP: Eduardo Diaz, 1B: Brian Kline, 2B: Eric Peterson, 3B: Isaias Barba.
T—3:15. A—684.
Continue reading...
