A day after getting a complete game from Corey MacDonald, Hawaii got only one out from its starting pitcher.
UNLV roughed up senior Jon Flinn for five first-inning runs and rolled to a 12-4 victory over the Rainbows in the final game of the UNLV Rebel Classic on Sunday at Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas.
T.J. White tripled and drove in three runs for the Rebels (9-3), who totaled 18 hits off three UH pitchers.
"I’m not going to let our guys just assume because we’ve got three of our top arms out that it’s just going to be one of those days," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "Yeah, you’re going to have those days when you’re pitching on fumes, which we were, but that’s not going to be acceptable."
Flinn, starting in place of freshman Quintin Torres-Costa, who hurt his elbow on Friday, recorded only one out, allowing five hits and a walk before leaving with UNLV already in front 5-0.
Patrick O’Rourke allowed seven runs on 11 hits in 42⁄3 innings as UNLV led 12-0 in the fifth.
"There’s a reason some of these guys are down-staff guys because they have a hard time repeating their delivery, but they need to understand they are not down-staff guys anymore," Trapasso said. "They have got to work and find a way to be better and we’re not going to rest until we get these guys better.
"Everybody on our staff, even if they’ve only thrown five innings in five years, is here because we think they have value, or they wouldn’t be on our roster. We’re not going to surrender to the excuse of injury, we’re going to fight our way through."
Bryan Burgher gave up two hits in three scoreless innings to close the game for Hawaii (1-11), which had six available pitchers.
"It’s easy to pitch when you’re down by 10 runs, but (Burgher) made some good pitches and I think he put himself in a role where we will be able to use him more," Trapasso said.
Junior Matt Cooper and sophomore Lawrence Chew were saved for today’s final game of the road trip, as UH plays UNLV again at 4 p.m.
Junior Scott Kuzminsky is also available.
Conner George started in right field for Kaeo Aliviado and had three hits, including an RBI triple in the ninth to score Kalei Hanawahine.
Adam Hurley hit an RBI double and Jerry Kleman added a run-scoring single as Hawaii scored twice in the eighth after trailing 12-0.
"I’ve never been 1-11 in my life, I don’t think, but we’re going to figure it out," Trapasso said. "I don’t care if we’re throwing a non-pitcher because every pitcher is out, we’ll practice every single minute of the day that is allowable until we find the guys that are going to be able to be better.
"We’re going to figure this out. We’ll get back to .500."