SAN JOSE, Calif. – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow baseball team (29-25, 12-12 WAC) outslugged the San Jose State Spartans (21-35, 9-15) 17-14 in 11 innings in the regular season finale at Municipal Stadium Sunday. Harrison Kuroda (1-1) picked up the win for UH while Craig Brussard (1-2) took the loss for SJSU.

 

The Rainbows posted season-highs in both runs (17) and hits (22). David Freitas went 3-for-5 with five RBI, two runs, a homer and a double to lead UH, while Kolten Wong went 3-for-6 with four RBI, four runs, a home run and two doubles. Jeffrey Van Doornum also homered, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs. Sean Montplaisir was 4-for-7 with a run while Kevin Macdonald went 3-for-7 with three runs. Collin Bennett and Piikea Kitamura also added two-hit games.

 

Van Doornum got the Rainbows' offense started, driving in Wong in the top of the first to put UH ahead 1-0. Wong then added to the lead in the second, blasting a two-run home run to make it 3-0.

 

Freitas then hit a solo homer in the top of the third before SJSU broke through with their first run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

 

Hawai'i got their third homer of the game in the top of the fifth as Van Doornum hit a solo shot, only to see the Spartans answer with another run in the bottom of the fifth, getting the score to 5-2.

 

The Rainbows broke through with a three-run inning in the top of the sixth as Kitamura drove in a run before Freitas added a two-run double, getting it up to 8-2.

 

San Jose State added two runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Matt Roquemore hitting a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh, getting it to 9-4.

 

But the Spartans mounted their comeback in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs on four hits, tying the score at 9-9.

 

Wong gave the 'Bows the lead in the top of the ninth, hitting a two-run double to the right-center gap, putting Hawai'i ahead 11-9.

 

After giving up the go-ahead runs, Spartan Zack Jones atoned for himself in the bottom of the ninth, hitting a two-run homer to tie the game at 11-11, sending the game into extra innings.

 

After a scoreless 10th inning, the Rainbow bats exploded in the top of the 11th. Van Doornum gave Hawai'i the lead with a RBI-single to the wall. Freitas then added a two-run single before Greg Garcia, Bennett and Roquemore all drove in runs to cap the six-run inning, making it 17-11.

 

Danny Stienstra hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th to pull it back to a three-run ballgame. But Kuroda closed it out, getting through the game to help UH to the 17-14 victory.

 

The Rainbows will head to Mesa, Ariz., for the WAC Tournament, starting Wednesday, May 26. UH earned the No. 4 seed in the tournament and will play No. 5 Louisiana Tech in the tournament-opener at 4 p.m. (1 p.m. HST).

 

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