The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Hawaii
Texas drops a 15-inning affair to Hawai'i, 5-4
02.27.2011 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2011
Box Score 
HONOLULU - The No. 6 Texas Longhorns were unable to capitalize on a strong starting effort from Cole Green and lost a 5-4 decision to the Hawaii Rainbows in 15 inninngs at Les Murakami Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Green allowed one run on four hits and one hit batter while striking out nine over 6.2 innings in the start for Texas.
David Peterson led off the 15th inning with a single to centerfield off Longhorns' reliever Corey Knebel. A sacrifice bunt by Michael Blake moved Peterson into scoring position. A wild pitch while Knebel was facing Zach Swasey moved Peterson to third. Knebel eventually struck out Swasey, but a wild pitch on the Longhorn right-hander's first offering to Matt Harrison went wild allowing the game-winning run to score.
After six scoreless innings, Texas broke the scoring seal in the top of the seventh inning. With Alex Capaul in to pitching in relief of starter Connor Little, Cohl Walla hit a leadoff double to leftfield. Jacob Felts tried to bunt Walla over, but after two foul balls he swung away for an infield single to put two on with no outs. After Kevin Lusson struck out for the first out of the inning, Tant Shepherd deposited a bloop single down the leftfield line to plate Walla.
Hawaii responded with an equalizer in the home half of the seventh. With one out, Peterson singled up the middle and Michael Blake was hit by a pitch. Zack Swasey appeared to bounce a potential double play ball back up the middle, but it went off Green's glove for an infield single. With bases loaded, Andrew McKirahan came in to relieve Green on the mound. Kolten Wong knotted the game at 1-1 with a single to rightfield to drive in Peterson.
The Longhorns reclaimed the lead with three runs in the top of the eighth. With one out, Mark Payton drew a walk off Capaul. Jarrett Arakawa came in from the bullpen and yielded a single to Erich Weiss and walk to Walla to load the bases. Lenny Linsky came into relieve for Hawaii and unleashed a wild pitch to allow Payton to score. After Jacob Felts struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, Lusson laced a two-run single through the right side of the infield to stake Texas to a 4-1 lead.
The Rainbows bounced back with three runs of reliever Stayton Thomas in the home half of the eighth. Sean Montplaisir hit a leadoff single up the middle and advanced to second on a ground out by Jeffrey Van Doornum. With two outs, Peterson walked and Blake was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hoby Milner came in from the bullpen for the Longhorns and allowed a bases clearing double over the head of Walla in centerfield to knot the game at 4-4.
The game would go scoreless for the next six frames before Hawaii's run in the 15th.
Milner worked 3.1 innings in relief for Texas, with no runs on two hits and one walk while striking out two. Knebel (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out five over 3.2 innings.
Little worked 6.0 scoreless innings for the Rainbows, scattering three hits and one walk while striking out one over 6.0 innings. Blair Walters worked 4.0 shutout innings, allowing two hits while striking out five of the 14 batters he faced. Zach Gallagher (1-0) earned the win, yielding just three hits and striking out one over 3.0 innings.
Loy and Walla led Texas with three hits apiece. Loy went 3-for-7 with one double. Walla went 3-for-6 with two doubles and two runs. Weiss and Shepherd each added a pair of hits.
Peterson went 3-for-5 with three runs, and one double. Montplaisir went 3-for-7 with one double and one run. Swasey registered three RBI.
Texas and Hawaii return for the rubber match at Les Murakami Stadium at 5 p.m. Central on Sunday.
