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Rainbows win WAC tourney opener

Billy Hull

MESA, Ariz. >> Pi’ikea Kitamura broke a scoreless tie with a two-run double in the eighth inning to help top-seeded Hawaii beat San Jose State 2-1 on Thursday evening in the Western Athletic Conference tournament at Hohokam Stadium.

The Rainbows (33-23) will play second-seeded Fresno State (38-14) on Friday at 4 p.m.

Hawaii starter Matt Sisto and San Jose State right-hander Esteban Guzman held the other team scoreless for seven innings before Hawaii broke through in the eighth.

Kitamura drilled an 0-2 pitch into the gap in left-center to score Garrett Champion and Breland Almadova.

Sisto (5-5), who retired 12 in a row at one point, allowing six hits in seven innings. Michael DiRocco chased Sisto with a leadoff single in the eighth and scored on a two-out infield hit by Danny Stienstra, who finished 3-for-4.

After Blair Walters finished off the eighth, Lenny Linsky struck out DiRocco with the tying run on third to earn his 13th save, tying a school record.

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