A night after being silenced in Friday’s opener, the University of Hawaii baseball rebounded with a statement-making 8-3 victory over No. 6 North Carolina State at Les Murakami Stadium.
Dominic DeMiero, a junior college transfer, made a shining debut in occasional Manoa mist, surrendering six hits and an earned run in seven innings. He struck out five, mixing a fastball, changeup and slider. DeMiero, a left-hander, also authored a rare scene, breaking Tommy DeJuneas’ aluminum bat with an inside fastball.
Earlier this month, DeMiero missed a week of training while undergoing a medical procedure in Minnesota. He returned in good health, and eventually built his pitch count in scrimmages and bullpen sessions. He threw 88 pitches — 55 for strikes — against the Wolfpack.
On Friday night, the Rainbow Warriors were limited to five hits, including one in the final four innings.
But they scored a run in the first and third innings Saturday, then chased Wolfpack starter Cody Beckman with a three-run fourth. Beckman, who was drafted by the New York Mets in the 25th round last summer, threw 62 pitches in three-plus innings, not counting the 15 throws to first base to keep baserunners close.
The ‘Bows scored their first run of the season in the first. Dylan Vchulek reached on an infield single to third. After Johnny Weeks struck out looking, Vchulek advanced to second on Eric Ramirez’s groundout to third. Kekai Rios then smacked a single to center to score Vchulek.
UH added a run in the second without a base hit. Adam Fogel drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on freshman Dustin Demeter’s sacrifice, then went to third on a wild pitch. Fogel scored on Marcus Doi’s sacrifice fly to right field.
The ‘Bows scored three runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-0. Rios walked and then raced to third on Ethan Lopez’s double. Fogel followed with a bloop double into no-man’s land in short right field, scoring Rios. Lopez held at third but soon after scored on Demeter’s single to center. It was Demeter’s first UH hit. Doi’s fielder’s choice grounder delivered Fogel with the ‘Bows’ fifth run.
Hawaii added three runs in the sixth. Josh Rojas hit a two-out double that fell just inside the right-field line. Vchulek singled to left, plating Rojas. Vchulek made a delayed sprint to second when the throw home skipped wide of catcher Jack Conley. Vchulek scored when Week’s bloop single fell into the triangle among the first baseman, second baseman and right fielder. Later, Weeks scored on Rios’ drive to right field.
DeMiero exited after allowing a run in the seventh. Brett Kinneman and Shane Shepard hit bases-empty homers for the Wolfpack in the eighth. Shepard had replaced DeJuneas as the first baseman. DeJuneas is the Pack’s scheduled starting pitcher.
The teams meet at noon today.
