The movie came out about more than five years before he was born.

But, yes, Josh Rojas had seen it.

So he knew exactly what I meant when I growled, “That’s a hell of an idea,” in my best gravel-voiced imitation of Lou Brown, the fictional manager of the Cleveland Indians in “Major League.”

The University of Hawaii third baseman smiled, and repeated it himself.

Since 1989, I’d seen Willie Mays Hayes (aka Wesley Snipes) score from second base on a bunt about 25 times, the same number of times I’d seen Harris get hit in the head by a flying bat after drinking Jobu’s rum and every other hilarious scene in the funniest movie, ever, about baseball. Can’t get enough of it.

But Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium was the first time I saw a guy score from second on a bunt (without an error involved) in an actual game.

It was the fourth inning, and Rojas led off second as Logan Pouelsen squared to bunt. Rojas had taken off as if stealing, so by the time the bunt was fielded by the pitcher and Pouelsen thrown out at first, Rojas had rounded third and was halfway home.

Afterward, UH coach Mike Trapasso said he wasn’t thinking, “That’s a hell of an idea.”

It was more along the lines of, “You better be safe, dude.”

Rojas beat the throw home from first and eluded the tag, barely.

“I saw the third baseman crash (for the bunt) and the pitcher didn’t even look,” said Rojas.

This was in the fourth inning, and it tied the score at 2 against visiting Sacred Heart. The rally continued with Marcus Doi banging a double to score Alex Fitchett to give UH its first lead of the game. Doi had entered the series hitless for the season, but went 5-for-10 in the series.

Rojas’ risky hustle play was the highlight of an entertaining afternoon Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium, with the Rainbows prevailing 6-5. It was Hawaii’s sixth win in a row, completed a series sweep, and UH is now 10-5 for the season.

It was an especially hot afternoon on the Les Murakami Stadium carpet. Even for young guys who love the game, a certain malaise can afflict a team … even one that is playing well and hasn’t lost in a while.

“I think the team did feed off that. Especially since we’d just let a run in (during the previous inning),” Rojas said. “Maybe it helped Doi.”

Rojas definitely took a chance, and it he’d been thrown out getting greedy, trying to take an extra base and steal a run on a sacrifice bunt, it could’ve easily cost the Rainbows the game. It definitely would’ve been an affront to all those baseball purists who insist on the game being played the right way, by the book.

But, according to Trapasso, Rojas has some latitude and the coach trusts his judgment on the bases.

“We let him freelance,” Trapasso said of the senior junior college transfer.

“He’s been our emotional leader. … I told him before the season started he may be the most important player on this team because of his infectious attitude.”

Rojas is batting .302, and has a .455 on-base percentage, with 10 walks and two hit-batsmen to just one strikeout. He reached base safely 10 of 16 times in the Sacred Heart series.

His successful conversion to third base from second has been as impressive as his improvement at the plate from last season, when he batted .239.

“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been a process and I had fall and spring scrimmages to get used to it,” said Rojas, who played third at Millennium High School in Goodyear, Ariz. “It’s good for me because it forces me to be more focused. My biggest problem on defense can be with focus, and at third you’ve always got to be ready, where at second you’re back a little further and you can wander.”

Rojas knows baseball is a game of ups-and-downs. And if he’d been thrown out at home taking that chance in the fourth inning it could’ve been the turning point, the other way.

And some day it probably will.

“That’s the game of baseball. One day it loves you, another it doesn’t,” Rojas said.

Lately, it’s been a lot more love for the Rainbow Warriors.

And going from second to home on a bunt was, on this day, a hell of an idea.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.