Pitchers struggle, but ‘Bows top Grambling

A victory allowed a tough day to end on a high note for the Hawaii baseball team.

Ty Pedretti’s two-run single highlighted an eight-run third inning as the Rainbows fell behind early before pouring it on in an 11-8 victory over Grambling State on Tuesday at Wilbert Ellis Park in Grambling, La.

Stephen Ventimilia went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Kaeo Aliviado went 2-for-6 with a triple and two runs scored for Hawaii (24-16), which needed all 13 hits against the Tigers (15-19).

The Rainbows, who entered the week third in the country in walking just 2.05 batters per nine innings, issued a staggering 10 free passes and hit three Grambling hitters.

Starter Corey MacDonald walked the first three batters he faced to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed one runner to score and a balk put the Tigers up 2-0.

Although Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso planned on staffing the game, he had no choice but to take the 6-foot-7 junior out without recording a single out.

"The mound was just kind of really strange and every single guy who went out there in his first inning walked guys," Trapasso said. "I felt terrible about it — especially because you can’t get upset with guys that haven’t been pitching all year — and I think it’s the first time in my whole career I’ve ever apologized to a pitcher for taking him out of the game."

Jon Flinn replaced MacDonald and immediately allowed a three-run homer to Brian Knuckles to give Grambling a 5-0 lead.

The Rainbows got it all back — and then some — in the third, led by Pedretti, who started at third for senior Collin Bennett, who was hit by a ground ball in warm-ups.

Bennett took a bad hop to the face and was "knocked for a loop," Trapasso said.

"It really got him good," Trapasso said. "He wasn’t sure where he was for most of the game and I’m not 100 percent sure he’ll be ready for (Louisiana Tech).

"It set the tone for what kind of night it was going to be. How we played that whole game and didn’t make any errors is amazing to me."

Bennett has been the team’s leading hitter, batting .481 (13-for-27) over an eight-game hitting streak to raise his average 41 points to .328.

Making his first start as a Rainbow, Pedretti uncorked a two-run single in the third, one of six UH hits in the inning.

AJ Bayus went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored and Cody Clark was 2-for-2 with two singles as Hawaii chased Grambling starter Pervis Mann after 22⁄3 innings.

Mann (1-2) took the loss, giving up eight runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

After a shaky ending to the first inning, Flinn (1-1) settled down and pitched five innings, giving up two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts to earn his first UH win.

Riley Welch, Jesse Moore and Kyle Dowdy finished the game for UH, which held its biggest lead at 10-5 in the sixth.

"We found a way to get it done," Trapasso said. "We’ll take it."

Hawaii will finish a seven-game road trip in Ruston, La., against LaTech starting Thursday.