FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
San Diego 9 Hawaii-Hilo 4
HILO, HI – The 19th-raked University of San Diego baseball team (13-7) completed a four-game sweep over the University of Hawaii – Hilo (7-11) with a 9-4 win in five innings Monday afternoon in a non-conference game at Wong Stadium.
There was a 40 minute rain delay, followed by a 30 minute lightning delay, then followed by another 20 minute rain delay that caused the game to start late, and because of travel plans for the Torero baseball team to get to Honolulu, the game had to be called after five innings, but does go down as a completed game.
USD wasted no time in scoring as they put up three runs on three hits in the first inning. Kevin Muno led off the game with a solo home run for the first run, then Sean Nicol hit a stand-up double down the left field line. Victor Sanchez hit a single through the left side, moving Nicol to third and two batters later, Josh Romanski reached on a fielding error by the Vulcans, which allowed Nicol to come across for the second run of the game. James Meador then drove in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to right field to give USD a 3-0 lead.
UHH then answered back in their half of the inning as they scored one run on two hits. The Vulcans run came on a Higa run-scoring double to left field, cutting the deficit to two at 3-1.
San Diego then scored one run in each of the next three innings before putting the game out of reach with three runs on two hits in the fifth inning. Kevin Hansen led off the frame with a stand-up double and after a Nick McCoy walk, Nicol was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Sanchez then cleared the bases with a three-run triple to centerfield to give USD a 9-1 advantage.
The Vulcans then scored three runs in their half of the fifth inning to put the game at its final of 9-1.
Offensively for the Toreros, Sanchez led the way as he went 3-for-4 with one triple and four RBI. The only other Torero to record multiple hits was Muno, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and one RBI.
Matt Thompson (2-1) picked up the win on the mound for the Toreros as he allowed one unearned run on three hits in 4.0 innings of work. Moon (0-2) was saddled with the loss for the Vulcans as he allowed six runs, two earned, on five hits in 3.0 innings of work.
The Toreros will conclude their Hawaiian Islands spring break trip with a 3:35 p.m. game against the University of Hawaii Rainbows on Tuesday.
Gonzaga 9 Utah Valley University 3
Spokane, Wash. AJ Proszek and Tyson Van Winkle led the Gonzaga University baseball team to a 9-3 victory over visiting Utah Valley University Monday night at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The game was the opening contest of a three-game series.
Proszek (1-0) earned his first victory of the season as the junior transfer held the Wolverines (3-11-1) to three runs on seven hits over 7.0 frames while striking out three. Brandon Harmon and Cody Martin each saw an inning out of the GU (11-7) bullpen, with Martin continuing a solid rookie campaign by striking out the side in the ninth. Utah Valley starter Aaron Brady (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned on 11 hits over 5.2 innings.
Van Winkle paced the Bulldogs’ offense with three hits, including two doubles, to drive in two runs. The sophomore also added two runs scored. Evan Wells, Marcus McKimmy, Ryan Wiegand, Grant Kveder and Mark Castellitto all added two hits a piece.
Gonzaga opened scoring in the bottom of first to take a 2-0 lead. Wells, who led off the inning with a single, scored the first run thanks to a single down the right field line by Kveder. McKimmy, who also reached on a single, scored on the second tally on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs added an additional run in the bottom of the second as Wells hit a single up the middle by Wells to plate Michael Rhodes. The Zags’ extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth, piecing together a walk, a single, a double and a throwing error to drive home two runs and take a 6-0 lead.
Proszek held the Wolverines scoreless until the fifth inning, when they narrowed GU’s lead to three runs. Utah Valley’s Josh Hinckley, Tyler Garretson and Ryan Jones each recorded run-scoring hits to plate three runs, brining the score to 6-3.
Kveder added another run for Gonzaga in the sixth on a single through the left side to plate Van Winkle. In the eighth, GU capped scoring as Van Winkle belted a two-run double to left field that scored McKimmy and Wiegand.
The Bulldogs and Wolverines will take the field again Tuesday as they compete in the second game of the three-game set. The Zags’ Reedy Berg (1-0) is expected to get the start in the 6 p.m. first pitch.
Northern Iowa 12 Ohio State 8
The University of Northern Iowa baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to claim a 12-8 win over Ohio State Monday night in Bradenton, Fla. UNI tallied 16 hits in the win, and six different Panthers had two or more hits. The win is the Panthers’ third straight.
Zach Zirbel (1-0) earned the win for UNI (7-8), pitching 1.2 innings of relief without allowing a run. Eddie Almonte was 3-of-5 with four RBIs. Cory Ege finished 2-of-4 with two RBIs.
Ohio State (7-5) came out fast, scoring five runs in the top of the first to build an early 5-0 lead. The Panthers got three runs back in the bottom half of the inning to cut the OSU lead to 5-3.
J.B. Shuck scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second to add to the Buckeye lead. In the bottom half of that inning, Brandon Douglas singled to score Ege, who reached on a single. Douglas moved to second on a single from Chris Lopez and then stole second. He pulled the Panthers within a run, 6-5, when he scored on a passed ball.
Both teams scored a run in the third to keep it at a one-run game. The Panthers took their first lead in the sixth. Travis Hendrix led off the inning with a single, and Lopez and Brett Featherston walked to load the bases. Brett Douglas singled to score Hendrix and Lopez, putting UNI in front, 8-7.
In the top of the seventh, Michael Arp drew a walk and Cory Rupert doubled to bring him home and tie the game at 8-8.
The Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Almonte doubled to score Featherston and Lopez. After Deric Manrique was intentionally walked to reload the bases, Ege doubled to send home Brett Douglas and Almonte. The Panthers left the bases loaded in the inning, but the 12-8 lead was enough for the win.
UNI returns to action on Tuesday when it plays Central Connecticut State at 6:30 p.m.
