Hawaii doesn’t get the bounces in loss at UC Davis

Fortunate hops, key hits from a struggling batter, and a close-out performance from a closer fueled UC Davis’ 9-5 baseball victory over Hawaii at Dobbins Stadium in Davis, Calif.

“No excuses, play like a champion,” said UH coach Rich Hill, whose Rainbow Warriors suffered their fifth consecutive Big West loss. “That has to be our motto. Give credit to UC Davis.”

A crowd of 453 saw the Aggies cool off the ’Bows’ comeback in a Friday afternoon game that begin with the temperature in the low 50s.

In what recently has become a recurring theme, the ’Bows struck first, fell behind, rallied and then lost momentum. This time, the ’Bows, who had scored a run in the top of the first and led 3-2 in the third, were down 5-3 after six innings. But they tied it in the seventh on Matthew Miura’s RBI double and Kyson Donahue’s run-scoring single.

But in the bottom of the seventh, UCD’s Damian Stone hit a one-out single, stole second, then went to third on Tyler Howard’s single to center. Shortstop Joey Wright, who entered hitting .143, put down a bunt along the first-base line. UH pitcher Danny Veloz picked up the ball, but his throw to first struck Wright in the back as Stone scored the tie-breaking run from third.

It was the fourth hit in as many at-bats for Wright, who also scored three runs. Wright, an outstanding defensive player, awakened from a season-long slump in which he fell into a shortstop platoon with infielder Alex Gouveia.

“A guy coming in hitting .143 gets four hits, tip your cap to him,” Hill said.

After taking the 6-5 lead, Howard and Wright each advanced a base on a wild pitch. Both scored on Ryan Lee’s double to left. Lee, who continued to second on the throw to the plate to try to catch Wright, then scored on Mark Wolbert’s single.

Carter Delaney, the fourth UCD pitcher, allowed one hit and struck out three in the final two scoreless innings.

“Gritty ball club,” Hill said of his ’Bows. “Falling behind and coming back, chipping away, we’ve been doing that all season. The problem with that sentence is making a comeback. At some point, we’ll figure it out on the mound, and we’ll play with a lead.”

UH right-hander Alex Giroux’s fourth start of the season lasted 12 batters and 50 pitches. With UH leading 1-0 in the first, Wolbert hit a grounder that bounced, bounced and then spring-boarded over Donahue at first for a two-out double. Nick Leehey followed with a single to left to plate Wolbert.

“Yeah, bad-hop double,” Hill said. “But what about the next guy? We’re trying to go off the plate with a cutter and leave it over the plate and all of a sudden it’s 1-1.”

As for Wright’s tie-breaking bunt in the seventh, Hill asked, “why were we in a situation where a bunt could hurt us?”

Itsuki Takemoto, who replaced Giroux, worked out of bases-loaded jam in the third. But he could not duplicate that escape in the Aggies’ three-run fourth.

Connor Harrison, who suffered his first loss, and Veloz each surrendered two runs.

“Nothing strange, nothing peculiar, nothing unfortunate,” Hill said. “There’s absolutely no excuses.”

In losing the opener of the three-game series, the ’Bows dropped to 16-11 overall and 2-5 in the Big West. The Aggies, who improved to 15-12 and 5-5, have won 10 of 13 at Dobbins Stadium this year.

Today’s rematch starts at 10 a.m. Hawaii time.