Feb. 16, 2008

Around the Bases

DuPree’s 11^th-inning single gives opening win to Hawaii

Derek DuPree’s base hit in the bottom of the 11^th plated Kevin Fujii with the game-winner as Hawaii nipped Hawaii-Hilo 5-4 Friday evening in front of a crowd of 2,529 at Les Murakami Stadium. The Vulcans got a homer from Michael Higa in the sixth and an RBI by A.J. Satele in the eighth as the visitors took a 3-1 advantage. The Rainbows cut the margin to one in the bottom of the eighth on a run-scoring double by Kevin Macdonald and forced extra innings on Shane Hoey’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. Higa’s base hit in the top of the 10^th gave UHH a 4-3 lead, but Jeffrey Van Doornum’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame knotted the score at 4-4. Fujii reached on a bunt single to start the 11^th for Hawaii, was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on DuPree’s base hit.