The University of Hawaii baseball team used an ensemble performance to produce a doubleheader sweep of UC Davis at Les Murakami Stadium.
Alex Baeza went 4-for-5 and Adam Fogel reached base four times on three hits and a beaning to lead the Rainbow Warriors to an 8-3 victory in the opener. Stone Miyao’s two-run homer, the first of his UH career, and his athletic defense at third spurred the ’Bows past the Aggies, 7-2, in the second game.
“I’m pleased,” said Mike Trapasso, whose ’Bows improved to 19-14 overall and 11-12 in the Big West. “That’s the best we’ve played all year in a two-day, three-game stretch. We’ve got to keep it going.”
The ’Bows won the first three of this four-game series. First pitch is at 1:05 today for the series finale.
“It was a team effort,” Trapasso said.
Roll the credits for:
>> Designated hitter Dustin Demeter, who has hit three homers since returning to the lineup a week ago after recovering from a foot injury. “You put a hot left-handed bat like Demmy in the middle of your lineup, good things are going to happen,” Trapasso said.
>> Miyao, whose two-run shot danced on the top of the wall in right field before falling over for a homer. “I caught one and it went all the way out,” said Miyao, whose weekend heroics at the plate and third are making him a household name — again. Miyao said his original birth certificate had “Dylan” as a first name. “My dad would call me ‘Stone’ when I was younger, and they (legally) changed it and called me ‘Stone.’ ” Miyao said.
>> Catcher Nainoa Cardinez, whose two-run single in the second game notched the first RBIs of his freshman season.
>> Starting pitchers Cade Halemanu, who struck out nine in seven innings in the first game, and Li‘i Pontes, who navigated through the first five innings of the second game.
The ’Bows entered without two left-handed complements. Austin Teixeira was scratched from a start because of tenderness in his left triceps. Brandon Ross re-injured his left elbow and is out indefinitely. But Halemanu and Pontes ate up innings to preserve pitchers for today’s game.
The Aggies appeared to be sitting on Halemanu’s changeup, his best pitch. But Halemanu was able to throw his curveball for strikes, which set up his fastball. “I thought his curveball was as good as it’s been,” Trapasso said. “I thought he set the tone right away by giving us seven innings and 109 pitches.”
Connor Harrison pitched the final two innings in relief of Halemanu, freeing Buddie Pindel to pitch in the second game.
Pindel replaced Pontes at the start of the sixth, with UH up 4-2. Pindel’s 12-out scoreless effort earned him his second save. Pindel’s only stressful situation was when the Aggies loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh. That brought out Trapasso for an at-ease chat.
“A lot of times you don’t have to say anything other than ‘I’m going to let you clear your mind and catch your breath,’” Trapasso said. Pindel induced a pop-up to end the threat.
“We pitched really well,” Trapasso said. “We played team defense.”
The ’Bows also answered the who’s-on-third riddle. Demeter is not ready to play the field, and his understudy, Matt Campos, suffered a potential season-ending hand injury a week ago. During practices, Miyao, a second baseman who had not played third since his junior year at Waiakea High, stood out at the hot corner. “I credit Coach (Carl) Fraticelli,” Trapasso said of the recommendation to move Miyao to third. “It was his idea. It’s brilliant. He’s our infield coach, and he worked him out there in practice.”
Miyao made several diving and acrobatic stops at third. He also has perfected the bounce throw to first baseman Alex Baeza. Eight of Miyao’s 10 assists in the doubleheader speed-bounced to Baeza.
“Me and Coach Frat worked on it,” Miyao said. “The ball skips off the turf and it kind of gets there a little quicker. That was the game plan.”