Terrific HPU run ends in West Region title round

HPU falls in West Region title round

Compton, CA – After topping Cal State Dominguez Hills to advance to the NCAA II West Regional Championship round on Saturday, the Hawai‘i Pacific baseball team saw their terrific 2010 campaign end when top-ranked UC San Diego beat the Seasiders 9-4 in Compton, CA.

HPU closes the year 39-12, while UCSD advances to the NCAA Division II College World Series.

Despite the loss, HPU atoned for a 12-0 setback to the Tritons earlier in the tournament and carried a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning.

Bas Nooij’s RBI-single drove in Kenny Turner for the game’s lone run to that point. But in the top of the fifth inning, UCSD unloaded for seven runs to take the lead.

Chad Wagner was tagged with the loss for HPU, allowing seven runs on nine hits in 4.2 innings of work. Guido Knudson pitched a complete game for UCSD, allowing four earned runs on seven hits.

Turner led HPU with one hit and two runs, and Sean Winston and Tyler Davis each added one hit and one run.

Kellen Lee went 2 for 5 with a run and two RBI for UCSD, including a two-run homer in the Triton’s big seventh inning. Kyle Saul added two hits and two runs.

Nooij, Blake Amaral and Toby Inouye all were selected to the NCAA II West Region All-Tournament Team.