Hawaii baseball team rallies twice to beat Oregon for third time

Could the Hawaii baseball team continue its mastery of Oregon?

The answer — yep — was blowing in the 30-mph wind.

On a blustery Saturday evening, the Rainbow Warriors blew apart the Ducks’ early five-run lead, lost the advantage, and then won it on a slide-off error for a 7-6 victory at Les Murakami Stadium.

A crowd of 3,128 — the largest home turnstile this season – saw the ’Bows win the first three games of this series to improve to 11-5. The Ducks, who entered the series on a seven-game winning streak, fell to 7-7. Today’s series finale begins at 1:05 p.m.

>> Click here to see photos of Hawaii’s victory over Oregon.

The score was tied at 6 when Adam Fogel opened the UH ninth with a single to right. Alex Baeza then put down a bunt that pitcher Hunter Breault fielded, but threw too high to second to get Fogel. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, the Ducks decided to intentionally walk Matt Wong to load the bases.

Tyler Best then worked the count to 3-2 before chopping a grounder to short. Gavin Grant’s throw to the plate was dropped by catcher Jack Scanlon as Fogel slid in with the winning run.

“I tried not to do too much,” Best said. “I’m glad I got it done. … There was never a doubt. I’m glad we came back.”

On the decisive run, Fogel said: “I’m happy we won. … I was trying to get a good jump. But like I said, I’m happy we won. … I saw the ball pop out. I knew I was safe. It’s a good feeling.”

Baeza, who earlier delivered the tying double in the seventh inning, added: “There was never any doubt. It seems every single night is coming down to the wire for us. We’re never really scared of the big moments. We take every pitch one pitch at a time. Our pitchers lock down, and it takes the pressure off of us at the plate.”

Relying on speed and hustle, the Ducks tied it at 6 in the top of the ninth. Sam Novitske drew a one-out walk against Vince Reilly. As Carter Loewen replaced Reilly, Parker Schmidt ran for Novitske. Kenyon Yovan then singled on a bloop that center fielder Matt Wong could not secure on a diving attempt. Gabe Matthews then grounded to second baseman Stone Miyao, who hesitated in getting the ball out of his glove before flipping to shortstop Kole Kaler for the force at second. But Schmidt continued running and scored from second to tie it.

The ’Bows chased Peyton Fuller with a two-run fifth to close to 5-2. Fuller, who appeared as a reliever in 40 games the previous two seasons, was making his fourth start of the season.

In UH’s four-run seventh, Scotty Scott reached first when Andrew Mosiello’s pitch stuck his front (right) foot. Scott then sprinted to third when Kaler pulled a single to right. Dustin Demeter grounded out to first, but Scott eluded first baseman Matthews’ throw to the catcher Scanlon to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Brennan Hancock then was hit by a pitch. Naighel Calderon pinch-ran for Hancock.

Baeza smacked a drive past Matthews and down the first-base line to score Kaler and Calderon to tie it at 5.

Baeza came home with the go-ahead run when Wong rocketed a drive to deep right-center.

The Ducks wasted little time in taking advantage of UH starting pitcher Brandon Ross’ control problems.

Tanner Smith drew a five-pitch walk to open the game. Ross’ ensuing inside pitch went too far inside, plunking the right-swinging Novitske. With the designated hitter Yovan at the plate, Ross’s breaking pitch went went past catcher Tyler Murray as Smith and Novitske each advanced. That wild pitch would not matter as Yovan, who began his college career as a highly regarded closer, drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases.

Ross then walked Matthews for an RBI, prompting UH head coach Mike Trapasso’s second visit to the mound and the earliest exit for the junior college transfer. Ross threw strikes on three of the 16 pitches to the four Ducks.

Trapasso beckoned Cade Smith, who was moved back to the bullpen two weeks ago. Smith struck out Aaron Zavala and Evan Williams, then induced Josh Kasevich to ground out to end the first-inning jam.

The Ducks added two runs in the third to extend their lead to 3-0. Novitske opened with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Yovan then swung and missed on a 1-2 pitch. But the third strike eluded Murray as Yovan reached first base safely and Novitske ran to third. Novitske scored on Zavala’s RBI groundout to second, and Yovan came home on Williams’ single to right field.

The Ducks made it 5-0 on Yovan’s sacrifice fly and Matthews’ run-scoring double past Baeza at first and down the right-field line.