Relief came from the bullpen — and to a no-longer-slumping hitter — in the Hawaii baseball team’s 8-0 beating of North Dakota State at Les Murakami Stadium.
Before a Monday afternoon crowd of 931, four pitchers collaborated on a four-hitter for the Rainbow Warriors’ first shutout since April 15, 2018 — a span of 75 games. The ’Bows won the final three of this four-game series to improve to 5-1. The Bison are 1-3.
Brandon Ross, a left-hander who transferred from Riverside (Calif.) Community College in August, allowed one hit and struck out three in three innings. Because it was designated as a “staff” game for UH, Ross was awarded the victory despite not pitching at least five innings, the usual requirement for a starter.
Once again, the Bison could not escape the UH bullpen. Li‘i Pontes, Vince Reilly and Tyler Dyball allowed three hits and one walk in six innings. UH relievers allowed two earned runs in 162⁄3 innings in this series, and now have a 1.40 ERA in six games this season.
>> Photo Gallery: Baseball: Hawaii beats North Dakota State in finale
Designated hitter Adam Fogel entered hitless in 13 at-bats this season after missing all but 10 games in 2019 after suffering an injury to his right shoulder. On Monday, Fogel opened with three consecutive singles, the first of which bounced into left field to plate Scotty Scott with the first run.
“It feels great,” Fogel said of the first-inning single. “I don’t know any other word to describe that. I was grinding for that one. It’s the first one that gets you going.”
Fogel underwent surgery on his right shoulder in March 2019. He did not begin hitting until a week before the season opener.
“You knew it was coming,” head coach Mike Trapasso said of Fogel, who went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. “It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ You have to remind yourself he didn’t swing in the fall. He’s only been seeing live pitching for three weeks over the last year. It takes a little bit of time no matter who you are. Until you get that first (hit), you’ll start pressing. He was a little tentative in his first four games. He was aggressive today. Once you get that first one out of the way, you saw some aggressive swings. You saw that Adam Fogel we know and love.”
Fogel, who had attacked Murakami Stadium’s spacious gaps with an upper cut, has altered his approach to a more level swing. “I’m trying to be on time and a nice level swing on the ball,” Fogel said. “I felt that worked.”
A confidence boost came after he tested his shoulder, which he had injured on a head-first slide at the plate last year. Following his first single on Monday, he dived to first on a pick-off attempt. “That’s what I was waiting to see,” Fogel said. “I got back up. I said, ‘It feels good.’ ”
He scored the first run in UH’s five-run third … on a cleats-first slide to the plate. “I’m never going to slide head first into home ever again,” he said, smiling.
Center fielder Matt Wong had a two-run double in the third. Shortstop Kole Kaler had two hits, including his third triple of the season.
That was more than enough for the ’Bows’ suddenly deep pitching staff.
Of the relievers, Trapasso said: “They were really good, because Brandon wasn’t real sharp today.” But Trapasso praised Ross for working out of a one-out, bases-loaded situation in the second inning. Ross struck out Brock Anderson and then induced Noah Dehne to fly out to right.
“What I was thinking was not to give in,” Ross recalled. “We just took an early (2-0) lead. Don’t give up. Persevere. I think I did that.”
Trapasso said: “There’s credit to be given for getting out of jams even if you put yourself in them. He’s got good stuff. When he throws it in there, guys don’t barrel him well. They’ll roll over (for grounders) or pop it up because his stuff is so good. He has so much life to his fastball.”
Pontes threw three scoreless innings, and positioned himself for a shot in the starting rotation. Reilly struck out three in two innings, and now is averaging 9.3 pitches per inning.
