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Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans Athletics

HAWAI'I HILO VULCANS ATHLETICS
9
Hawaii Hilo UHH 14-19, 7-12 PWC
10
Winner Azusa Pacific APU 14-15, 9-5 PWC
Hawaii Hilo UHH
14-19, 7-12 PWC
9
Final
10
Azusa Pacific APU
14-15, 9-5 PWC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Hawaii Hilo UHH 0 0 1 1 0 2 3 1 1 9 17 2
Azusa Pacific APU 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 4 2 10 11 2

W: Vargas, J. (3-0) L: Liberta, Jake (2-1)

3
Hawaii Hilo UHH 14-20, 7-13 PWC
8
Winner Azusa Pacific APU 15-15, 10-5 PWC
Hawaii Hilo UHH
14-20, 7-13 PWC
3
Final
8
Azusa Pacific APU
15-15, 10-5 PWC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Hawaii Hilo UHH 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 7 0
Azusa Pacific APU 4 1 0 2 0 1 X 8 14 0

W: Frey, J. (1-0) L: Velarde, Eamon (1-2)

Cody Min
Spencer Honda / Hawai‘i Hilo Sports Information
Cody Min (27)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Hawai‘i Hilo Sports Information

Baseball Swept by Azusa Pacific

Hawai‘i Hilo was walked off, 10-9, before falling, 8-3, for the four-game series sweep by APU.

AZUSA, California – After securing the first series victory of the conference season, the Hawai'i Hilo Baseball team was swept by Azusa Pacific, falling, 10-9 and 8-3, in a doubleheader Thursday afternoon in Pacific West Conference action at the Cougar Baseball Complex.

The first contest of the day was a great back-and-forth battle that momentarily seemed to be tipping in favor of the Vulcans late in the game, but APU managed to come back for the walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Five Cougars finished the four-game series with a batting average above .500 as the Vulcans were led by Cody Min batting 8 for 14 (.571) with two doubles and three RBI.

With now just 12 games and three series to go in the PacWest season, the Vulcans find themselves fighting an uphill-climb to earn a postseason tournament berth.

GAME 3: HAWAI'I HILO 9 - AZUSA PACIFIC 10
  • The Cougars walked off with the win in the bottom of the ninth inning, managing to plate two runs for the 10-9 win. Jake Liberta, who had entered the previous inning to get the Vulcans out of a jam, started the final frame with a lead-off walk. The lefty rebounded with a strikeout but then allowed a single on an executed hit-and-run attempt to put runners at the corners. Liberta induced a grounder to second base for an out, but the transfer throw to first for the game-ending double-play attempt was off-line, making the runner from third count as scored to tie the game. An intentional walk moved the winning run over to second as Will Medina took a first-pitch offering deep to right-center field for the walk-off hit.
  • The Vulcans produced 17 hits for their highest total in a game this season, led by Min's 4-for-5 day with three hits added on by Bradyn Yoshida. Vance Oshiro, Mark Fedro, Blake Tweedt and Joshua Fuentes each tacked on a pair of hits.
  • After jousting for six innings to a 4-4 score, Hawai'i Hilo capitalized in the top of the seventh as Blake Tweedt and Fuentes got the rally going with back-to-back singles. Bryce Tweedt's sacrifice bunt was misplayed as the Vulcans loaded the bases, and on the next pitch, Blake Tweedt took off for home as Oshiro showed bunt for the squeeze attempt, but the throw home found its way to the backstop instead to allow for an easy score. The next pitch home was mishandled by the catcher, bringing in another run on the passed ball. Oshiro essentially cleared the bases during his at-bat and eventually put the ball in play with a sacrifice fly deep to the right-field pocket for a 7-4 lead.
  • Hitters continued to take advantage of the diamond-shaped Cougar Baseball Complex playing field as Blake Tweedt added a run with a solo shot in the eighth inning before Yoshida pushed the Vulcans back ahead in the top of the ninth. Yoshida took a first-pitch offering and crushed it far but left of the yellow pole for a foul ball. The next pitch was well adjusted for as Yoshida again cranked the ball over the left-field wall — this time in fair territory for the second homer of his career and in as many days.
  • The bottom of the eighth was capitalization time for APU as it led the inning off with consecutive hit batsmen to set up back-to-back-to-back RBI singles to make it a one-run game. Liberta eventually entered out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and no outs, and after inducing an infield grounder (which tied the game), he retired the next two batters to leave the score intact.
  • Aaron Davies got the start, going 6.0 innings with three earned runs allowed. Christian Wood tossed a scoreless inning as Liberta was tagged with the loss.
GAME 4: HAWAI'I HILO 3 - AZUSA PACIFIC 8 (7 INNINGS)
  • APU started early with a two-run homer on its second at-bat of the game in the bottom half of the opening inning. The Cougars then pieced together three base hits to score an additional pair of runs for a 4-0 lead. 
  • Hawai'i Hilo rallied on two outs to plate its only runs of the game in the third inning. Min and Mason Cook cashed in with RBI hits to make it just a two-run difference on the scoreboard.
  • From there, the Cougars managed nine more hits for three runs to take the series sweep on an 8-3 win.
  • APU pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts while giving up just four free passes to batters. Hawai'i Hilo surrendered six walks and two hit batsmen.
  • Arthur Soto's lone hit of the game was a double down the right-field line in the top of the fifth, bringing his two-bag total to 15 on the season for a current tie at the top among all NCAA Division II players.

UP NEXT

Hawai'i Hilo moved to 14-20 overall (7-11 PacWest) while Azusa Pacific moved to a 8-5 conference record (13-15 overall).

The Vulcans will conclude their road trip with a four-game series against PacWest-newcomer Westmont (March 25-26).

Alumni Game will be Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m. with the next home games set for April 13 against Chaminade.

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