Feast turned to famine for University of Hawaii batters between Sunday and Monday.
“Yeah, it would’ve been nice to save a few,” Hawaii coach Rich Hill said in a phone interview after UH managed just five hits Monday in a 3-2 loss to San Diego State — which ended with UH leaving the bases loaded with one out in the ninth. On Sunday, the ’Bows had 18 hits and slugged four home runs in a 13-1 win over South Dakota State.
“You gotta tip your cap to their pitching,” Hill said after the final game of the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament. “Their starter (Jonny Guzman) made us chase a lot. He had a good split-finger that gave our guys issues.”
UH managed just one hit off Guzman, who hurled five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and four walks.
But, as effective as Guzman was, the ninth inning was the peak of frustration for UH.
Kamehameha graduate Kelena Sauer started the final inning and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam he created to save the win for the Aztecs and drop the Rainbows to 4-3 this season. SDSU is 2-5 after losing its first five games.
Sauer hit DallasJ Duarte with a pitch after singles by Jared Quandt and Stone Miyao to load the bases with one out. But then pinch hitter Nainoa Cardinez and Jordan Donahue struck out.
Maddox Haley’s single off UH’s final reliever, Tai Atkins, drove in the decisive run in the eighth inning.
Hawaii scored twice on passed balls in the seventh inning to take a 2-1 lead. San Diego State tied it in its half of the inning when Tino Bethancourt launched a solo homer.
Pancho Ruiz put SDSU ahead 1-0 in the third with an RBI single.
Jacob Igawa extended his hitting streak to six games with a single to left in the fourth inning for UH’s first hit.
Harrison Bodendorf started on the mound for Hawaii. He struck out six and walked four, allowing one run on two hits in 32⁄3 innings. Connor Harrison relieved him, and took the loss after allowing two runs in 32⁄3 innings.
Hill was pleased with his team’s pitching.
“Lot of bright spots. Harrison Bodendorf was outstanding, with a really good changeup and a fastball at 91 (mph),” he said. “Connor Harrison was great a couple of times through the lineup.”
Quandt reached base four times with two singles and two walks. He is off to a hot start with a .563 batting average and a 1.870 OPS. He leads the Warriors in nearly all offensive categories, including home runs (three) and stolen bases (two).
“He has really taken his opportunity and run with it,” Hill said. “I’m super-pumped for him because he worked real hard.”
The ’Bows continue their road trip at the Cambria College Classic in Minneapolis, starting with a game against Minnesota on Friday. They are also scheduled to play Nebraska on Saturday and No. 18 Maryland on Sunday.
