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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, April 18, 2010

Rainbows earn split at Sacramento State



By mark devaughn
Special to The Advertiser

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Van Doornum

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jeff Van Doornum hit a two-run homer and a run-scoring single, catcher Kevin Fujii enjoyed a 3-for-4 game with an RBI, and Jesse Moore pitched four shutout innings in relief as Hawai'i rallied past Sacramento State for a 7-4 victory and a split of a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader yesterday.

Sacramento State won the first game, 3-2.

Hawai'i is 18-17 overall and 2-5 in the WAC. Sacramento State (13-18-1 and 2-1) holds a 2-1 edge in the four-game series, which ends today.

Hawai'i might have lost right fielder Christian Johnson for the season after he suffered a dislocated shoulder while diving for a fly ball in foul territory in the first game.

"He's going to be sore for a while. It could be a season-ender," said UH coach Mike Trapasso.

In the second game, Moore (1-1) replaced starter Matt Sisto in the third, allowing four hits, while walking none and striking out none. Lenny Linsky pitched the seventh, allowing a one-out single to Kirby Young, who was erased on a game-ending double play.

With Sacramento State leading 4-2, the Rainbows scored five runs with five hits and two Hornet errors in the third.

In the first game, Sac State rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to turn back Hawai'i.

Hawai'i led 1-0 on Van Doornum's fifth-inning home run. But the Hornets got a bases-loaded walk against UH starter Sam Spangler to tie the game at 1, and relief pitcher Moore hit a batter with the bases full to push across the go-ahead run.

The Hornets got an insurance run in the eighth on an RBI single from A.J. Nunez to negate a ninth-inning RBI single by Van Doornum. But Kevin Macdonald flied out to left to end the game.

Jesse Darrah (3-2) went 7 2/3 innings, allowing a run, five hits and two walks with two strikeouts for the Hornets. Andrew Galvan allowed a run on a walk and single in the ninth to record his fifth save.

Spangler (2-5) allowed two runs, five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings for UH.

Two of those didn't leave the infield, but they figured prominently in the winning rally.

The lefty battled Blake Miller in a nine-pitch at-bat before the Sacramento State second baseman reached on an infield hit to third to load the bases.

Pi'ikea Kitamura made a fine back-handed stop behind the bag, but Miller just beat his throw from the outfield grass in foul territory. Spangler then threw three straight balls before walking Justin Lamb on a 3-1 offering.

Earlier in the inning with one out and a runner on first, Hawai'i shortstop Greg Garcia lost Kirby Young's pop-up to short left in the sun. It was scored a hit.

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