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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, February 20, 2010

'Bows drop opener to Oregon St., 10-6


By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai'i's Kevin Macdonald heads toward the plate after hitting a grand slam in the fourth.

REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser

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UH BASEBALL

WHO: Oregon State (1-0) vs. Hawai'i (0-1)

WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium

WHEN: 1:05 p.m. today and tomorrow; 5:05 p.m. Monday

TICKETS: Lower and middle levels, $8. Upper level: adults, $6, senior citizens, $5, UH students with ID and students K to 12, $3. Mānoa Maniacs lower level JJ, $5. Parking: $5.

RADIO: ESPN 1420 AM

TV: KFVE-TV channel 5 tomorrow and Monday only

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai'i's Greg Garcia signals himself safe at second base while being tagged by Oregon State shortstop Carter Bell in the first inning.

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Leather was not in fashion in last night's collegiate baseball season opener as No. 10 Oregon State rallied to beat Hawai'i, 10-6.

Two unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning on one of a combined eight errors by both teams broke a 6-all game before 3,168 at Les Murakami Stadium.

"It was an ugly game for both teams," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "We didn't make plays. We gave too many runs away."

Of the 10 runs, only four were earned off UH pitching because of three errors by the Rainbows (0-1).

With the game tied at 6 in the top of the eighth and UH left-handed relief pitcher Blair Walters (0-1) on the mound, Carter Bell singled, but Andy Quiring fouled out on a bunt attempt. Parker Berberet hit a drive to deep center. Freshman center fielder Breland Almadova dropped the fly ball for a two-base error that moved Bell to third.

Trapasso brought in Lenny Linsky for his ability to throw hard sinkers in hopes of keeping the runners on base. But pinch hitter Dylan Jones walked to load the bases and Rob Folsom's sacrifice fly to center scored Bell to break the tie. A passed ball allowed Berberet to score to make it 8-6.

The Beavers added a two-run home run by Stefen Romero in the ninth to cushion their lead.

"Poor kid had a tough debut," Trapasso said of Almadova, who was 0 for 4 and was picked off in the bottom of the eighth after leading off with a walk with UH down 8-6. "He's a good player and you couldn't have a tougher debut. But he has the kind of character that's going to allow him to build on this and be better for it."

Kraig Sitton (1-0) pitched 2[0xb0] scoreless innings of relief, as did Tony Bryant, who came in for starter Tyler Waldron, who gave up six runs, but only one earned, with seven strikeouts in 4[0xb0] innings.

"Fortunately for us, we had some good pitching from Tony Bryant," OSU coach Pat Casey said. "He gave us a big lift."

Oregon State (1-0) made five errors, two from catcher's interference from highly touted freshman Andrew Susac. Both came in the same inning and were cashed in on Kevin Macdonald's fourth-inning grand slam that put UH ahead, 6-3.

"I felt bad for him," Casey said of his young catcher. "I'm sure he was doing everything he could do to help us ... He'll be fine. He'll get back in there and get it done"

Hawai'i starter Nate Klein was a victim of his own throwing error in a three-run fourth by the Beavers. Klein went 5[0xb0] innings, allowing six runs (two earned) and seven hits with five strikeouts.

Walters was one of four UH relievers. He was charged with two unearned runs in 1[0xb0] innings.

Despite UH's errors and struggles on the mound, outside of Walters, Trapasso said his team will play better.

"There was nothing I saw today that concerns me in anyway," Trapasso said. "Most everything I saw was positive because we're going to make plays. We're going to be a good defensive club. But we didn't tonight and that's a shame we let one get away when we had a three-run lead after six."

Four UH position players made their debuts. Aside from Almadova, freshman Pi'ikea Kitamura started at third and went 1 for 4, and JC transfers Collin Bennett (2 for 3) started in right and David Freitas (0 for 4) started at catcher.

The series resumes at 1:05 p.m. today. Matt Sisto will start for UH against OSU left-hander Tyler Robles.

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