The Hawaii baseball team caught a break to avoid working overtime Tuesday night.
The Rainbows scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when a wide throw to first allowed pinch runner Alan Baldwin to score from third in a 2-1 victory over East China University of Political Science and Law in an exhibition game at Les Murakami Stadium.
Hawaii had two chances to win it after loading the bases with one out in the ninth, when Austin Wobrock and Trevor Podratz singled and LJ Brewster reach on a fielder’s choice where no out was recorded. Max Duval grounded into an out-producing fielder’s choice before Conner George grounded to third and beat an errant throw to first to end the game.
"I promise you, he didn’t tag me," said George, a third-year junior who has been a backup infielder. "Normally we come out all fall and just grind against each other and really battle for starting spots in the spring and to come out here and put the unis on and see the people in the stands, it’s good for us."
Both teams struggled offensively, combining for only nine hits.
Fifth-year senior Connor Little pitched in a UH uniform for the first time in 17 months and struck out seven in four shutout innings, allowing only two hits.
Little expects to contend for a spot in the starting rotation this season after redshirting last season with an ankle injury.
"I’m just so happy to be back out there, man. I felt so good, finally," the 6-foot-5 right-hander said. "I was just trying to force them to put the ball in play and fortunately they missed a few."
Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said he was pleased with the way Little threw.
"We’ve obviously got a lot to work on because we’ve only been at it for a week and a half, but I thought Connor was outstanding," Trapasso said. "It was great to see him back out there on the mound for us. He’s going to help."
Hawaii made a couple of mistakes on the base paths, as can be expected in an exhibition just two weeks into the fall camp.
The top of UH’s starting lineup was similar to last year’s, with sophomores Stephen Ventimilia and Kaeo Aliviado leading off and senior Pi‘ikea Kitamura batting third.
Six-foot-4 junior college transfer Marc Flores hit fourth, followed by freshman Andre Real in the DH spot and Kalei Hanawahine, who sat out last year after transferring from San Diego, hitting sixth.
Third baseman Jerry Kleman, who drove in UH’s first run on a two-out RBI single, hit seventh, followed by left fielder Adam Hurley and catcher Baldwin, a Kailua High graduate.
"There’s things we’ve barely touched on so far and we’ll go from there, but our two-strike approach is an emphasis this fall and it’s got to be better," Trapasso said. "We didn’t do a good enough job on that end, but it’s so early."
Wobrock finished with two of UH’s four hits, with Podratz, who is nursing a minor injury, collecting the other hit.
Senior Patrick O’Rourke allowed East China University’s only run on an error and struck out five in four innings. Freshman Jonathan Lopez gave up a leadoff double in the ninth, but didn’t allow Han Ji Chao to score.
The teams meet a second time tonight at 6.