With a new motion — and renewed emotion — Dominic DeMiero pitched Hawaii to a series-clinching 5-0 baseball victory over UC Riverside at Les Murakami Stadium.
A Sunday matinee crowd of 1,564 saw the Rainbow Warriors win two of three this wet weekend to improve to 20-12 overall and 6-3 in the Big West. By going 2-1 in each of their three Big West series, the ’Bows are atop the league standings.
“The key is winning series, and this was a big one, because of the fact other (Big West) schools are starting to get hot and winning some games,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “Every single series has equal weight and value. So you have to win the series when you have a chance.”
For Sunday’s rubber game, Trapasso turned to DeMiero, a junior left-hander whose only luck was bad the past several weeks. In his previous four starts, DeMiero had a 9.00 earned-run average and 2.27 WHIP. His moped also was stolen.
But Trapasso said DeMiero was ready for a breakthrough.
“You just know because of spending all the time with him,” Trapasso said. “And, also, it was one of those deals where if we’re going to have the type of of season that we want, he’s going to be a big part of it, and he hadn’t been the past month.”
DeMiero spaced eight hits in 81⁄3 scoreless innings. He did not issue a walk — with only one three-ball count to the 33 batters he faced — and struck out a career-high seven.
DeMiero credited a change in his release point, an alteration made at Trapasso’s suggestion during a bullpen session on Tuesday. DeMiero said an over-the-top delivery elevated his two-seam fastball. By lowering his release point and evening his stacking — the posture of his motion — DeMiero was able to create bite on the fastball.
“I dropped (the release point), and I was able to locate down in the (strike) zone,” DeMiero said. “The two-seam runs away and it drops. It’s like a hard changeup, but it has the same motion as the changeup. It complements it.”
Trapasso, who doubles as the pitching coach, called for DeMiero’s fastball about 90 percent of the time. DeMiero mixed in four sliders and a few changeups.
In the third inning, the Highlanders loaded the bases with one out. DeMiero struck out the next two — and three for the inning — to quell the jam. DeMiero also retired nine in a row between the fourth and seventh innings.
“He didn’t just throw good, he threw great,” Trapasso said. “I couldn’t be happier. There’s nobody who’s a better kid.”
Catcher Tyler Murray said DeMiero was on target. “He was spotting every inside and every outside pitch we called,” Murray said.
At the start of the ninth, Trapasso left the choice to DeMiero. “I said I felt like finishing the game,” DeMiero recalled.
But after relinquishing consecutive one-out singles, Trapasso summoned closer Dylan Thomas. DeMiero exited to a standing ovation; Thomas entered to his Johnny Cash warm-up song.
“He hadn’t gotten extended in a few weeks,” Trapasso said of DeMiero’s pitch count, “so 108 was plenty. And we had Dylan in the ’pen. We’re never going to waste a fresh Dylan Thomas.”
Thomas induced the final two outs.
Kekai Rios, who had two of the ’Bows’ six hits, grounded a two-run single to key a four-run first. The ’Bows — and DeMiero — coasted after that.
“It’s the consummate story of the kid stepping up,” Trapasso said of DeMiero. “It says a lot for a guy to make an adjustment like that and show success with it. I think it’ll be a great confidence boost for him. … I’m excited for him. I’m excited for this team.”
The ’Bows depart for California on Tuesday ahead of a nonconference game against Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday and a Big West series against Cal State Fullerton beginning Friday.
