Rain Can't Cool CBU

Wednesday, March 16

Hilo, Hawaii

9:00 PM

California Baptist University

18-5, 8-1

Hawaii Hilo

3-10, 2-9

California Baptist

UH Hilo

Photo by: Andrew Shortall

3/17/2016 9:04:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

HILO, Hawaii – A 70-minute rain delay was not going to be enough to cool off a surging California Baptist University team, or its ace pitcher Tyson Miller for that matter.

A quality start from the Lancers No. 1 arm and several big performances at the plate drove them to a 9-4 victory, in which they scored the first nine runs. It all came after a more than one hour rain delay that had first pitch at 11:10 p.m. PDT, and the final pitch being thrown at 1:25 a.m.

Twelfth-ranked CBU did not accept any excuses to improve to 18-5, 8-1 in the PacWest. The Lancers have now won six-straight games and 12 of their last 13. Hawaii Hilo falls to 3-10, 2-9, despite burning its ace in Jordan Kurokawa, who brought a 0.67 earned-run average into the game. He kept that ERA intact, as five Vulcan errors gave the Lancers extra opportunities.

A nightmare top of the third for the Vulcan defense staked the Lancers to a 4-0 lead. Three-straight errors at third base to start the inning scored a run and put two runners in scoring position without an out.

Antonio Chavarria's sacrifice fly gave CBU its second run of the game and inning, while an ensuing walk and A.J. David single loaded the bases. A two-out infield single from Brian Ruhm capped the action and gave CBU a commanding 4-0 lead through three.

Two more errors equaled two more runs for the Lancers in the fourth. An error and Andrew Montoya single put two runners on, and another miscue at short loaded the bases with two outs. An inability to find the strike zone gave CBU two more runs, with David drawing a walk and Mark Sanchez being hit by a pitch to make it a 6-0 lead.

Chavarria and Lohr put two singles together to put runners on the corners with one out in the sixth. Sanchez scored them both with a double into right center to increase the lead to 9-0 in the sixth.

Miller was strong on the mound, with his defense solid behind him. The junior right-hander allowed just four hits and a walk through seven innings, while he struck out eight. Patrick Gonzales may not have earned the save, but closed out the game by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth.

Chavarria and Ruhm were both 2-for-4 in the game, with Ruhm driving in three runs and Chavarria scoring, adding a double and an RBI. Sanchez collected three RBIs and scored one in the win.

Games two and three have been moved up for Thursday, with rain threatening again. The nine-and-seven inning doubleheader will start at 3 p.m. PDT, with Friday's finale still set for a 9 p.m. start.