HILO, Hawai'i– The UH Hilo baseball team closed out their six-game series against the University of Minnesota Crookston with a split at Wong Stadium.
The Vulcans (9-2 overall) won the first game on Sunday 10-8 and lost in the final game 1-0.
Game One (Nine Innings)...Minnesota Crookston (3-6 overall) jumped ahead of the Vulcans 7-3 and maintained the lead until the eighth inning where UHH's bats made the necessary adjustments and went off on a two-out rally.
Eric Peterson produced a two-out single to the left side that moved Kobie Russell to third and Casey Yamauchi to second. Russell walked and Yamauchi got hit by a pitch to start the inning for the Vulcans.
The Golden Eagles were feeling the Vulcan pressure as the inning slipped away from them. A wild pitch scored Russell (7-4), Kanbara walked, loading the bases once again, and then Joseph Gallagher barrelled up a right field single that scored both Yamauchi and Peterson (7-6).
The two-out rally continued as Sakay singled to right, loading the bases AGAIN. Chris Aubort came up next, clearing the bases with a double down the right field line that gave UH Hilo the go-ahead run (9-7).
Brett Komatsu kept the rally alive, laying down a well placed bunt that he easily out ran. Russell then came up for the second time of the inning and singled to left center, scoring Aubort (10-7).
Jacob Liberta was the winning pitcher of this game. He defused UMC's momentum with a two-out strikeout with the bases loaded. Liberta continued to throw for two solid innings where he struck out three more batters.
John Kea closed out the game in the ninth and was awarded his second save of the season.
Game Two (Seven Innings).. The final game in this extremely exciting six-game series was a pitching duel between Barron Holtz and UMC's Jake Dykhoff.
Barron Holtz had a good night on the mound, only letting up two hits in five innings but was out matched by UMC's Jake Dykhoff who shut down the Vulcans' offense.
Minnesota Crookston's Dykoff tossed a complete-game shutout Sunday night, only letting up three hits while striking out seven batters.
UMC's lone run was scored in the fourth inning by a sacrifice fly that sent in Minnesota Crookston's Ben Thoma who started the inning with a lead-off walk.
Cody Hirata and Alden Norquist combined to throw two scoreless innings with two k's a piece.
Up Next…The Vulcans next game is their conference opener on O'ahu against Hawai'i Pacific, which will be Thursday, Feb. 24 at 5pm HST at the all too familiar Hans L'Orange Park.
