Oregon baseball rallies past Hawaii in ninth
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii infielder Tyler Best (3) greets Alex Baeza at home plate after Baeza hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Oregon Ducks.
The Oregon baseball team rallied for three runs in the ninth to overtake Hawaii 8-7 today at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Rainbow Warriors built a 7-4 lead on Max Crabbe’s five RBIs and Alex Baeza’s two-run homer. But the Ducks added a run in the seventh and moved ahead in the ninth on Aaron Zavala’s two-run double and Tanner Smith’s go-ahead single.
The Ducks won three times in this four-game series to improve to 10-4. The ’Bows fell to 8-8.
The ’Bows also incurred another setback when shortstop Maaki Yamazaki departed a half-inning after a collision on a play at first base. UH third baseman Ethan Lopez did not start because of a sore leg.
The outcome spoiled Crabbe’s debut. The right-swinging Crabbe started at designated hitter to counter left-handed pitcher Cole Stringer, who has not allowed a hit to a left-swinging hitter this season.
