No lead is safe against this Wolf Pack.
For the second consecutive night, Nevada took advantage of a Hawaii bullpen that suddenly can’t get anybody out, scoring eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to pull off a stunning 10-6 victory over the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday night.
A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 2,160 that stayed until the end wasn’t rewarded for surviving the heavy winds and rain that pelted the stadium seats.
Instead, they witnessed a second straight meltdown by UH relievers, who gave up eight runs after surrendering five in a 7-4 loss.
10 NEVADA 6 HAWAII
KEY: Kamehameha alumnus Kewby Meyer hits a three-run homer, powering Nevada’s eight-run ninth.
SUNDAY: Nevada at Hawaii, 1:05 p.m.
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"There’s nothing to say," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "It’s got to be put in perspective that we played a good game until the bullpen blew it up. We’ve got to be better. That’s all I got."
Kamehameha alumnus Kewby Meyer tied the game with a three-run homer off junior Jordan DePonte, one of three UH pitchers used in the ninth inning.
Nevada sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on five hits and five walks to even its record at 9-9.
"We’ve got some clutch hits when we needed to two days in a row," first-year Nevada coach Jay Johnson said. "It says a lot when you talk about facing Matt Cooper and Scott Squier, two guys any college baseball team would love to have in their weekend rotation. That’s probably the thing I’m most excited about stepping up against good pitching."
Hawaii (7-11) seemingly had the game in hand after scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth to extend its lead to 6-2.
Junior Eric Gleese gave up two infield singles and was credited with a walk after leaving with a 2-0 count on first baseman Austin Byler.
DePonte (1-2) uncorked a wild pitch to allow one runner to score before Meyer jacked a three-run homer to right to tie the game at 6-6.
Two more Nevada batters reached base before the Wolf Pack gave Hawaii an out, sacrificing the go-ahead runners to second and third. Senior Josh Elms walked in the go-ahead run with the bases loaded and gave up three more runs on a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly and a Kyle Hunt double before Meyer grounded out to end the disaster for UH.
Stephen Ventimilia went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Kaeo Aliviado and Marc Flores each doubled and drove in a run for Hawaii (7-11), which has lost six of seven.
Squier allowed two runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. He threw 124 pitches.
"There’s not much you can say about that," Squier said. "The bullpen has to be better. I’ve got to be more consistent and get into a (better) rhythm."
Hawaii failed to score first for the first time in six games as Byler, who had the winning hit for the Wolf Pack on Friday night, took Squier deep over the fence in right in the top of the first.
Nevada’s 1-0 advantage didn’t last the inning as the Rainbow Warriors answered with three runs in the bottom frame off starter Barry Timko, who took right-hander Jason Deitrich’s spot in the rotation.
After falling behind 3-1, Timko kept the Wolf Pack in it, retiring 19 straight after Alan Baldwin bunted for a hit to start the second.
"He’s important for us and that was a big growth step for him," Johnson said. "He kept us in the game and we have a good bullpen and some guys who compete and grind it out at the plate, but he gave us the chance."
Trapasso made significant changes to his lineup Saturday, hitting Baldwin and Podratz together for the first time. Richartz made his first start in the field, taking over in left to free up the designated hitter spot for Podratz, who homered on Friday.
Conner George got the start in right for senior Kalei Hanawahine, who is in the midst of an 0-for-32 slump.
Hawaii’s bottom five hitters in its lineup combined to go 1-for-18.
NEVADA 10, HAWAII 6 |
NEVADA |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
HAWAII |
AB |
R |
H |
BI |
Hunt ss |
6 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Ventimilia 2b |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
Byler 1b |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
Aliviado cf |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Meyer lf |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Richartz lf |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Devencenzi c |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Flores 1b |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Barger 3b |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Jones 3b |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Nellis pr |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Podratz dh |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Dunatov rf |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
George rf |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Fain dh |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Hanawahine rf |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Teel ph/dh |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Baldwin c |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Brooks cf |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Wobrock ss |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Greager rf |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
Freidl pr/rf |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Gerig ph |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Kaplan ph/3b |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bridgman 2b |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Totals |
35 |
10 |
11 |
8 |
Totals |
34 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
NEVADA (9-9) |
100 |
010 |
008 |
|
— |
10 |
11 |
1 |
HAWAII (7-11) |
300 |
000 |
030 |
|
— |
6 |
7 |
1 |
E—Barger; Richartz. DP—Hawaii 1. LOB—Nevada 11; Hawaii 4. 2B—Hunt; Aliviado; Flores. HR—Byler; Meyer. HBP—Devencenzi 2. SH—Devencenzi; Teel. SF—Bridgman; Jones. SB—Baldwin.
NEVADA |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Timko |
71⁄3 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
Whitt (W, 2-2) |
2⁄3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Blueberg |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
HAWAII |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
Squier |
72⁄3 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
Gleese |
1⁄3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
DePonte (L, 1-2) |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Elms |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
WP—DePonte; Elms. HBP—by Squier (Devencenzi); by Squier (Devencenzi). PB—Devencenzi; Baldwin. Umpires—(Plate): Mark Evans. (First): Bill Barnes. (Third): Rickey Scarbery. T—3:17. A—2,160