‘Bows rally past UAB in ninth

Hawaii nearly gave away a third game in less than a week, but Austin Wobrock stole it right back.

The Hawaii shortstop hit a game-winning RBI single off the glove off UAB reliever Cory Eller to score Juliene Jones with the winning run as Hawaii scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a 5-4 victory over Alabama-Birmingham.

UH (10-11) sent eight batters to the plate in the ninth inning and had four hits, capped by Wobrock’s come-backer that bounced off Eller’s glove and into no-man’s land between first and second.

As soon as Jones scored, UH’s dugout emptied to mob Wobrock as a Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 1,238 celebrated Hawaii’s first win when trailing after eight innings since 2012.

"I told myself I was going to take one, saw the movement (of the pitch) and was thinking middle," Wobrock said. "It feels great — feels great to pick up one of our relievers."

Andrew Jones (1-2) gave up a pinch-hit three-run homer to Adam Lau in the top of the eighth inning that gave the Blazers (16-6) a 4-2 lead.

Jones, who pitched the final 21⁄3 innings, got the win despite giving up three hits and three walks.

"Them coming back and putting up those runs in the ninth inning was something that had to be done and that’s what those hitters do — you’ve seen it all season," Jones said. "I know Coach is putting me out there to get some work in and it’s been a work in progress. It’s taken me a bit longer than I thought it would be like."

Jones is one of two UH pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery. He’s given up six runs and five walks in 32⁄3 innings in his last two outings.

"Jones was actually throwing better, and that’s the encouraging things even though his numbers belie that," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said.

Lau was 3-for-7 this season before his pinch-hit home run. He had been 0-for-3 against lefthanders.

"You never expect a home run to left field, that’s for sure," Trapasso said. "I really felt bad for Jones because that was one of the strangest at-bats I’ve ever seen. That was the craziest thing I’ve seen here in a long, long time."

Marc Flores hit his first home run of the season and finished 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs to lead UH.

Flores untied a 1-1 game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-out home run over the fence in right off UAB starter Chase Mallard.

"At first I didn’t think that it was going to go because I hit it really high," Flores said. "It snuck over the fence and I was really happy rounding first base. It felt good."

Flores added an RBI single in the ninth off left-hander Thomas Lowery to cut the UAB lead to 4-3.

Stephen Ventimilia, who had two infield hits, drew a walk to lead off the inning and Kaeo Aliviado followed with a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to five games.

After Flores’ single made it 4-3, UAB brought in Eller to face Juliene Jones, who grounded into a fielder’s choice for the second out.

With Aliviado at third, left fielder Adam Hurley blooped a single to shallow left that tied the game at 4.

Trevor Podratz drew a walk to load the bases for Wobrock, who ended it.

"This is something that doesn’t surprise us because of the makeup of this club," Trapasso said. "We’ve seen it here unfortunately in the last week done against us and we got a little luck with Hurley’s flare, but we don’t apologize for it because all of those have gone against us.

"That was big. It picks everyone up."

Mallard allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings with five walks and four strikeouts.

Hawaii starter Matt Cooper gave up one run on eight hits in 62⁄3 innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.

The series continues Friday night at 6:35.

HAWAII 5, ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM 4