Rutgers ruins Hawaii’s day with a sweep

Two different games produced the same disappointing outcome for the Hawaii baseball team.

After getting drubbed 13-1 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Les Murakami Stadium, the Rainbow Warriors committed four errors and allowed three unearned runs in a 6-2 defeat in front of a modest crowd of 1,410.

Rutgers right-hander Ben Gorski (2-0) earned the win in the second game and combined with three other relievers to hold Hawaii (5-10) scoreless over the final eight innings.

Gorski struck out five in four innings after replacing starter Justin Sinibaldi with no outs in the bottom of the second inning.

Nate McLain, Parker Scott and Dale Stanavich finished off the sweep for the Scarlet Knights (12-2) by not allowing a hit over the final four frames.

UH was held to nine hits over 16 innings a day after Friday night’s thrilling 11-10 victory in the series opener.

“I think that offensively we’re just learning about a lot of our players,” first-year UH coach Rich Hill said. “You can have a good feel for them in the fall, in January, but when the bright lights come on and you’re facing really good competition — specifically pitching — it’s all about adjustments and finding out where you are.”

Cameron Hagan gave Hawaii three hitless innings in relief of starter Cory Ronan (0-1), who allowed his first three runs of the season in the top of the first.

Rutgers tacked on a run in each of the final three innings to pull away after the two teams stayed close for much of the game.

“I tried to keep the ball down in the zone and let the defense do the work that they did and I think that’s how I want to attack the rest of the season,” said Hagan, who needed just 40 pitches to record nine outs. “Right now for me the mindset is to do my job, whatever it is every week, because it changes all the time. Whenever I get a chance to grab the ball I just want to perform for our program.”

Both dugouts cleared in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jacob Igawa was caught in a rundown and eventually tagged out at the plate.

Words were exchanged between the teams and Hill had words with the umpire before imploring his team to get back in the dugout.

It couldn’t jump-start a Hawaii offense that recorded its final hit on Igawa’s two-out single in the fifth. He finished with three hits across the two games, including a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the third inning for UH’s only run in the opener.

That game was over not long after it started as the Scarlet Knights sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run first inning.

Hawaii starter Cade Halemanu, who allowed one hit in 51⁄3 innings in his previous outing against No. 4 Vanderbilt, was barreled up early and often to the tune of eight hits in 21⁄3 innings.

Josh Kuroda-Grauer went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Nick Cimillo and Chris Brito homered for the Scarlet Knights.

Halemanu (0-2) took the loss as one of four pitchers used in the game by Hawaii. They combined to give up 13 hits and six walks and hit four batters in a seven-inning game.

“We’ve got to go back, look at the tape, and talk to Cade. He wants to do really well for this team, the university and the fans of Hawaii,” Hill said. “I know he’s really disappointed. He just has to go back to the drawing board and figure some things out.”

Rutgers right-hander Jared Kollar (3-0) allowed three hits and struck out eight with no walks to earn the complete-game victory.

The four-game series concludes today with a game at 1:05. Junior right-hander Dalton Renne (1-0, 1.69 ERA) will make his first start of the season.

“We’re fine. We’re set up. We have no excuses and the guys are going to be hungry,” Hill said.