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The Hawaii baseball team parlayed an all-in move with its ace Wednesday into a postseason berth.
Isaiah Magdaleno pitched a one-hit, 14-strikeout shutout as the Rainbow Warriors beat Cal State Northridge 4-0 and clinched a berth in next week’s five-team Big West Tournament in Irvine, Calif.
“Unreal feeling,” outfielder/first baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa said of returning to the league tournament. “Gratitude, obviously. The job’s not done.”
A crowd of 1,930 at Les Murakami Stadium saw the ’Bows improve to 15-13 in the Big West with two games remaining in the regular season. They moved into sole possession of fourth place, a half-game ahead of Cal State Fullerton, which opens a three-game series tonight against UC San Diego.
The ’Bows needed to win once in this three-game series to secure a postseason berth. The UH coaching staff debated whether to go with Magdaleno, the usual series-opening starter, on four days’ rest, give him additional rest or use him as a reliever. Thirty-five minutes ahead of the 6:39 p.m. first pitch, UH coach Rich Hill submitted the lineup with Magdaleno on the mound.
“Four days’ rest is what major league guys do,” Hill said. “There are people in the big leagues who are Mags’ age. We toyed with a lot of things. Bringing him in to close, starting some other guys, moving him back a day, starting him on five days’ rest. Ultimately we came to the conclusion that he’s on such a roll, he’s so comfortable as a starter, it really wasn’t going to matter if he bumped up a day or two days.”
The outcome also means Magdaleno will have a full week’s rest for next Wednesday’s tournament opener.
“We’re playing to win this thing, not just to represent,” said Hill, referencing the Big West winner earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. “He’s going to be rested and ready to go on Wednesday.”
Magdaleno continue his three-week artistry. The right-handed junior entered allowing one run and four hits in 17 innings covering the past two starts. On a 79-degree Wednesday night, Magdaleno did not allow a hit until Mateo Rickman’s 10-pitch single to right to open the fifth inning.
“I’ve been around Brian Matusz, who was the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy winner for pitchers in 2008,” Hill said. “But I’ve never seen a consistent three-week performance like Mags’. Adjectives? There are none to really describe what he’s done in the three weeks. Crazy.”
Magdaleno was fueled by a pregame omelet, his visiting family’s support, and a menu of fastballs, changeups and curves.
“I tried to stay consistent with the work,” said Magdaleno, who adheres to a routine of shoulder and forearm workouts to complement his video studies. “It’s been paying off. Might as well keep it going.”
Catcher Jake Redding said Magdaleno’s changeup is “devastating. That good of a changeup makes the curveball play that much faster.”
Magdaleno throws the changeup, which he developed in Little League, with a motion that mirrors the release of his fastball.
“That’s his pitch,” pitching coach Keith Zuniga said of Magdaleno’s changeup. “Our mentality is until (opponents) prove otherwise, that’s what they’re going to continue to get. He’s mastered the ability to drop it in the strike zone early in the count and put people away with it. He can go in, out and down with that thing. He’s put in the recovery for that. His shoulder routine, his forearm routine. He wasn’t born with an elastic arm to do this. He’s worked for that.”
Said Redding: “I feel bad for the hitters. There were a couple times today we went 2-0 count and then just changeups from there on out. I would hate to hit against Magdaleno and I’m sure everyone else does, too.”
The ’Bows scored three runs in the first inning against Gabriel Hernandez. Kamana Nahaku reached second on third baseman Kyle Panganiban’s throwing error. Nahaku came home on Tate Shimao’s single to right. Shimao then advanced to third on Zeigler-Namoa’s double to left. On Mana Lau Kong’s grounder to first, Shimao was tagged out in a rundown between third and home. Zeigler-Namoa and Lau Kong reached third and second, on the play. Both scored on Redding’s double to right-center.
BIG WEST BASEBALL STANDINGS
Team
Conference
Overall
W
L
Pct.
GB
W
L
UCSB
19
8
.704
—
34
16
Cal Poly
19
8
.704
—
30
21
UC San Diego
16
11
.593
3
22
25
Hawaii
15
13
.536
4 ½
26
21
CS Fullerton
14
13
.519
5
22
28
UC Davis
14
16
.467
6 ½
26
26
UC Irvine
12
15
.444
7
23
26
Long Beach St.
11
16
.407
8
17
32
CS Northridge
11
17
.393
8 ½
24
27
CSU Bakersfield
10
17
.370
9
22
30
UC Riverside
10
17
.370
9
15
34
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Wednesday
Hawaii 4, Cal State Northridge 0
x-California Baptist 6, UC Davis 3
Today
Cal State Northridge at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m.
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara
Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego
Cal State Bakersfield at UC Irvine
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
x-California Baptist at UC Davis
Friday
Cal State Northridge at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m.
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara
Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego
Cal State Bakersfield at UC Irvine
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
x-California Baptist at UC Davis
Saturday
Cal State Bakersfield at UC Irvine
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego
End regular season
x-non-conference game
HAWAII 4, CS NORTHRIDGE 0
MATADORS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Coleman cf
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
Panganiban 3b
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
Thomas lf
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
Pena 1b
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
Rickman dh
3
0
1
0
0
2
0
Boardman 2b
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
Abel ss
3
0
0
0
0
2
0
Linberg rf
3
0
0
0
0
2
1
Lee c
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
Calvillo ph
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
Rios c
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Totals
27
0
1
0
0
14
3
RAINBOW WARRIORS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Nahaku cf
2
1
0
0
1
0
0
Shimao 3b
3
0
2
2
1
0
1
Z.-Namoa rf/1b
4
1
1
0
0
1
2
Lau Kong dh
4
1
0
0
0
1
1
Nushida lf
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
Redding c
4
0
2
2
0
1
0
Takata ss
4
0
1
0
0
1
2
Rodriguez 2b
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
Martin 1b
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
Wright pr/rf
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Totals
30
4
8
4
3
6
6
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
CS Northridge
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Hawaii
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
x
4
8
0
PITCHING & GAME NOTES
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
Hernandez (L, 4-4)
6 ⅓
7
4
1
3
2
Voorhies
1 ⅔
1
0
0
0
4
HAWAII
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
Magdaleno (W, 7-4)
9
1
0
0
0
14
Records: Hawaii (26-21, 15-13 Big West), Cal State Northridge (24-27, 11-17 Big West)
E—Panganiban. DP—CSUN 2. 2B—Shimao, Zeigler-Namoa, Redding. HBP—Panganiban, Pena. SH—Boardman; Nahaku.
WP—Hernandez. HB—Magdaleno 2. PB—Lee.
Umpires—HP: Christopher Torres. 1B: Eduardo Ruiz. 2B: Bradley Hungerford. 3B: Bill Mazurek. T—2:22. A—NA.
Continue reading...
Isaiah Magdaleno pitched a one-hit, 14-strikeout shutout as the Rainbow Warriors beat Cal State Northridge 4-0 and clinched a berth in next week’s five-team Big West Tournament in Irvine, Calif.
“Unreal feeling,” outfielder/first baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa said of returning to the league tournament. “Gratitude, obviously. The job’s not done.”
A crowd of 1,930 at Les Murakami Stadium saw the ’Bows improve to 15-13 in the Big West with two games remaining in the regular season. They moved into sole possession of fourth place, a half-game ahead of Cal State Fullerton, which opens a three-game series tonight against UC San Diego.
The ’Bows needed to win once in this three-game series to secure a postseason berth. The UH coaching staff debated whether to go with Magdaleno, the usual series-opening starter, on four days’ rest, give him additional rest or use him as a reliever. Thirty-five minutes ahead of the 6:39 p.m. first pitch, UH coach Rich Hill submitted the lineup with Magdaleno on the mound.
“Four days’ rest is what major league guys do,” Hill said. “There are people in the big leagues who are Mags’ age. We toyed with a lot of things. Bringing him in to close, starting some other guys, moving him back a day, starting him on five days’ rest. Ultimately we came to the conclusion that he’s on such a roll, he’s so comfortable as a starter, it really wasn’t going to matter if he bumped up a day or two days.”
The outcome also means Magdaleno will have a full week’s rest for next Wednesday’s tournament opener.
“We’re playing to win this thing, not just to represent,” said Hill, referencing the Big West winner earns an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. “He’s going to be rested and ready to go on Wednesday.”
Magdaleno continue his three-week artistry. The right-handed junior entered allowing one run and four hits in 17 innings covering the past two starts. On a 79-degree Wednesday night, Magdaleno did not allow a hit until Mateo Rickman’s 10-pitch single to right to open the fifth inning.
“I’ve been around Brian Matusz, who was the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy winner for pitchers in 2008,” Hill said. “But I’ve never seen a consistent three-week performance like Mags’. Adjectives? There are none to really describe what he’s done in the three weeks. Crazy.”
Magdaleno was fueled by a pregame omelet, his visiting family’s support, and a menu of fastballs, changeups and curves.
“I tried to stay consistent with the work,” said Magdaleno, who adheres to a routine of shoulder and forearm workouts to complement his video studies. “It’s been paying off. Might as well keep it going.”
Catcher Jake Redding said Magdaleno’s changeup is “devastating. That good of a changeup makes the curveball play that much faster.”
Magdaleno throws the changeup, which he developed in Little League, with a motion that mirrors the release of his fastball.
“That’s his pitch,” pitching coach Keith Zuniga said of Magdaleno’s changeup. “Our mentality is until (opponents) prove otherwise, that’s what they’re going to continue to get. He’s mastered the ability to drop it in the strike zone early in the count and put people away with it. He can go in, out and down with that thing. He’s put in the recovery for that. His shoulder routine, his forearm routine. He wasn’t born with an elastic arm to do this. He’s worked for that.”
Said Redding: “I feel bad for the hitters. There were a couple times today we went 2-0 count and then just changeups from there on out. I would hate to hit against Magdaleno and I’m sure everyone else does, too.”
The ’Bows scored three runs in the first inning against Gabriel Hernandez. Kamana Nahaku reached second on third baseman Kyle Panganiban’s throwing error. Nahaku came home on Tate Shimao’s single to right. Shimao then advanced to third on Zeigler-Namoa’s double to left. On Mana Lau Kong’s grounder to first, Shimao was tagged out in a rundown between third and home. Zeigler-Namoa and Lau Kong reached third and second, on the play. Both scored on Redding’s double to right-center.
BIG WEST BASEBALL STANDINGS
Team
Conference
Overall
W
L
Pct.
GB
W
L
UCSB
19
8
.704
—
34
16
Cal Poly
19
8
.704
—
30
21
UC San Diego
16
11
.593
3
22
25
Hawaii
15
13
.536
4 ½
26
21
CS Fullerton
14
13
.519
5
22
28
UC Davis
14
16
.467
6 ½
26
26
UC Irvine
12
15
.444
7
23
26
Long Beach St.
11
16
.407
8
17
32
CS Northridge
11
17
.393
8 ½
24
27
CSU Bakersfield
10
17
.370
9
22
30
UC Riverside
10
17
.370
9
15
34
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Wednesday
Hawaii 4, Cal State Northridge 0
x-California Baptist 6, UC Davis 3
Today
Cal State Northridge at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m.
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara
Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego
Cal State Bakersfield at UC Irvine
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
x-California Baptist at UC Davis
Friday
Cal State Northridge at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m.
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara
Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego
Cal State Bakersfield at UC Irvine
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
x-California Baptist at UC Davis
Saturday
Cal State Bakersfield at UC Irvine
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara
Long Beach State at Cal Poly
Cal State Fullerton at UC San Diego
End regular season
x-non-conference game
HAWAII 4, CS NORTHRIDGE 0
MATADORS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Coleman cf
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
Panganiban 3b
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
Thomas lf
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
Pena 1b
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
Rickman dh
3
0
1
0
0
2
0
Boardman 2b
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
Abel ss
3
0
0
0
0
2
0
Linberg rf
3
0
0
0
0
2
1
Lee c
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
Calvillo ph
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
Rios c
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Totals
27
0
1
0
0
14
3
RAINBOW WARRIORS
PLAYER
AB
R
H
BI
BB
SO
LOB
Nahaku cf
2
1
0
0
1
0
0
Shimao 3b
3
0
2
2
1
0
1
Z.-Namoa rf/1b
4
1
1
0
0
1
2
Lau Kong dh
4
1
0
0
0
1
1
Nushida lf
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
Redding c
4
0
2
2
0
1
0
Takata ss
4
0
1
0
0
1
2
Rodriguez 2b
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
Martin 1b
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
Wright pr/rf
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Totals
30
4
8
4
3
6
6
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
CS Northridge
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Hawaii
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
x
4
8
0
PITCHING & GAME NOTES
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
Hernandez (L, 4-4)
6 ⅓
7
4
1
3
2
Voorhies
1 ⅔
1
0
0
0
4
HAWAII
PITCHER
IP
H
R
ER
BB
SO
Magdaleno (W, 7-4)
9
1
0
0
0
14
Records: Hawaii (26-21, 15-13 Big West), Cal State Northridge (24-27, 11-17 Big West)
E—Panganiban. DP—CSUN 2. 2B—Shimao, Zeigler-Namoa, Redding. HBP—Panganiban, Pena. SH—Boardman; Nahaku.
WP—Hernandez. HB—Magdaleno 2. PB—Lee.
Umpires—HP: Christopher Torres. 1B: Eduardo Ruiz. 2B: Bradley Hungerford. 3B: Bill Mazurek. T—2:22. A—NA.
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