Rainbow Warriors do just enough to top Washington State

In a performance that was as much scrapbook as textbook, the Hawaii baseball team pieced together a 4-2 victory over Washington State at Les Murakami Stadium.

A Friday night crowd of 1,595 saw the Rainbow Warriors receive accurate control from three pitchers, flytrap-sticky defense and a creative offense to even the four-game series at a victory apiece.

The ’Bows concocted their four runs on a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly and two fielder’s-choice at-bats.

>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. Washington State

“It’s a testament to who we are as a team,” first baseman Alex Baeza said. “We have a lot of talent, but above all that, we have a lot of grit. We never give up. We’re not going to have a lot of pretty wins. But the great teams just scrap and fight it out until the last out is made.”

Left-swinging Scotty Scott was beaned on the right ear flap to lead off the ’Bows’ first inning. “Whatever it takes,” said Scott, tapping the right side of his cranium. “Just using my head.”

Scott then used his legs to scoot to second on Kole Kaler’s sacrifice, went to third on Dustin Demeter’s groundout to first, and scored on a wild pitch.

Catcher Tyler Murray’s sacrifice fly on a liner to left field scored Baeza to make it 2-0 in the second inning. In the third, Adam Fogel and Daylen Calicdan each drove in runs on forceouts.

That 4-0 lead was good enough for starting pitcher Aaron Davenport and relievers Jeremy Wu-Yelland and Vince Reilly.

Davenport mystified the Cougars with a cocktail of 91 mph fastballs, a biting curveball and a newly developed changeup. Davenport did not allow a run through the first six innings, and finished with this pitching line: 10 hits, two runs (only one earned), no walks and two strikeouts in 71⁄3 innings.

“He was good,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said of Davenport. “It was his second start with no walks. It wasn’t like he was striking everybody out. He was just making good pitches.”

Davenport, who threw strikes on 75% of his pitches, said: “I had good command. I kept my pitch count low, and it allowed me to go deep into the game. Just keeping hitters on their toes, utilizing my changeup quite a bit. It really looks the same as the fastball coming out. It messes with hitters.”

Davenport also acknowledged support from UH’s defense. Baeza made two spectacular plays. In the second inning, Baeza caught a screaming liner while standing on the first-base bag for an unassisted double play.

“It was hit hard right at me,” Baeza said. “I was holding somebody on, and it was hit right to the bag. I didn’t really have to do much. He did all the work for me.”

In the fifth, Murray broke out of his catcher’s crouch to field a bunt near the third-base line, pick it up, pirouette, and then fire a throw that Baeza scooped for the out.

“He catches everything,” Murray said of Baeza. “He’s a vacuum over there. We like to call him that. He’s been doing that all his life.”

Murray also provided a defensive spark. Murray threw out a runner on a steal attempt, and later gunned down a runner trying to advance to second on a sacrifice attempt.

“The arm’s feeling great,” said Murray, who experienced some discomfort in his right shoulder during preseason training. “I’ve been working on it the past month now. It’s finally back to where it needs to be. I feel good throwing down to all bases.”

Second baseman Matt Campos also went deep into the hole between first and second to field what appeared initially to be a sure hit.

“Murray, Baeza, our defense was a blessing today,” Davenport said. “Murray played a phenomenal game. Baeza played locked-down first base. That defense really won the game for us.”