On a warm afternoon, the University of Hawaii baseball team enjoyed a sweet Sunday.
The ’Bows pounded 13 hits, including Adam Fogel’s thunderous home run, and Jackson Rees mystified San Jose State batters in a 14-1 rout at Les Murakami Stadium. A matinee crowd of 1,385 saw the ’Bows sweep the four-game series to improve to 15-8.
“There was no doubt we came out and our guys were ready,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “It was our first complete game in all three phases that we’ve actually had in a couple weeks. Today was our day. We played well.”
All but one starter in the UH lineup had at least one hit. Catcher Tyler Murray boosted the ’Bows to an early 3-0 lead with an RBI single and then a lumbering first-to-home dash on shortstop Jordan LaFave’s double to left.
“I’m thinking the whole time, ‘don’t send me, Coach,’” Murray said, adding third-base coach Rusty McNamara was “telling me to stride it out. I was trying to go as hard as I can because I love this team.”
Ahead 5-1, the ’Bows moved out of reach with a six-run sixth against five SJSU pitchers. The Spartans used all 14 pitchers on their travel roster this series, including nine on Sunday. None had success pitching to Fogel, who went 9-for-12 with seven RBIs in this series. He also walked two times and was struck by pitches twice.
“I changed my approach,” said Fogel, who abandoned a leg kick beginning with the previous series against Indiana. “It was simple: take away my leg kick, put my (left) foot down, and see the ball. That’s about it.”
Fogel’s against-the-wind homer in the sixth came after Joseph Balfour repeatedly tried to pitch to the inside corner. “He finally left me a pitch I could do something with,” Fogel said of the two-seam fastball he air-mailed over the wall in left field.
That was more than enough support for Rees (3-0), who is unbeaten in five Sunday afternoon starts. The ’Bows average 8.0 runs in games in which Rees is the starting pitcher. “It’s always nice to throw on day games,” Rees said. “I’m always warm. That’s a plus. When I sit down for a while, I don’t have to make sure I’m staying warm.”
Rees also took advantage of the swirling winds. “That was a factor,” Rees said. “The wind was taking my four-seam (fastball), which is usually straight, and making it (bend) like a slider. I really had to adjust early on, and I made the adjustment, and it showed.”
Trapasso, who calls all the UH pitches, said Rees was “effectively wild.” In eight innings, Rees allowed five hits, plunked two Spartans, walked four, and struck out four.
Murray said Rees’ pitches had “movement for him. He pounded the (strike) zone very well, and let them hit the ball to our defense.”
LaFave, the understudy to shortstop Dustin Demeter, made his second start of the season as Trapasso went with a righty-dominant order. LaFave went 2-for-3, drove in a run, and made several acrobatic defensive plays. LaFave is a self-styled defensive enthusiast who honed his skills fielding ground balls from his father on fields in Kirkland, Wash.
“My hometown, we didn’t have (artificial) turf,” LaFave said. “I’m used to getting the bad hops off the dirt. Coming here is a lot easier. My strength is defense. That’s why I’m here.”
Trapasso said LaFave embodies the ’Bows’ selfless goals. “When he hasn’t played, he stayed ready,” Trapasso said. “He’s a great example of the type of character these kids have. … Jordan hasn’t played a lot. But he’s a sprained ankle away from being our every-day shortstop. The way he’s played, there’s no question he can be an everyday shortstop. I’m happy for him.”