HILO Hawai'i– The UH Hilo baseball team dropped a 8-7 gut-wrencher to San Diego Christian in the fifth game of their five-game series Sunday night at Wong Stadium.
The Hawks grabbed the lead in the third where they scored five runs off three hits and four Vulcan errors.
SDCC then tacked on two more runs in the fifth, creating a 7-0 deficit for UHH.
The Vulcans scored a run in the fifth and sixth, but were still chasing five runs as they entered the final inning of the game.
Riley Gill doubled down the left field line with one out to extend the seventh inning. RJ Soria was then hit by a pitch and Tyler Reece walked to continue the inning with two outs for the Vulcans. Josh Fuentes kept the two-out rally going, lacing a base knock to left field that scored Gill, shortening the Hawks' lead 8-3.
Kobie Russell then cleared the bases, blasting a grand slam that tied up the game 8-8. This was Russell's third home run of the series and second grand slam.
The Vulcans' showed their heart and resiliency, but the Hawks were the first ones to score in the second extra inning of the game, taking a 9-8 lead that was uncontested by the Vulcans.
UH Hilo (4-1 overall) lost the fifth game against San Diego Christian (2-11 overall), but won the series against the Hawks, 4-1.
The Vulcans play next Thursday, Feb. 10 against Minnesota Crookston at 6pm HST at Wong Stadium.
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