Murakami Stadium 2015-04-25: Game Of The Year

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GoBows2014
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Murakami Stadium 2015-04-25: Game Of The Year

Post by GoBows2014 »

University of California at Santa Barbara, strong baseball program,
currently ranked as 8th in the nation. At Murakami, 2nd of 3 @UH.

IMO best game of this year (2015) and this one was not on OC16. That's a shame, since this was a *gem* !!

Tyler Brashears (#27) on the hill for UH, and a big boy (6'6", 230lb) from UCSB, Justin Jacome (#44) for the Gauchos. Game started early due to multiple events at UH and early innings were pretty much up and down, both pitchers firing away and nobody getting any hits. Pretty sure Tyler had two or three innings at 10 pitches or less. Tyler’s heat and most everything else was working, but Justin's was too. This was a sweet pitcher's duel for inning after inning.

After the 3rd inning, still a 0-0 game, both teams with just 2 hits, pitchers wearing down and both clubs figuring out what's coming, bats starting working for both sides in the 4th, 5th, and 6th. Turning point in the game? Bases loaded for Gauchos with 1 away, force out at home from JJ Kitaoka to Chayce Ka'aua saved the game, both teams still with zero runs after Bows were in deep kim chee but stellar defense and Tyler's arm got them thru with nada on the board. That force out at home plate was only the 2nd out of the inning. Inning ended with bases still loaded for UCSB and *no* runs on the board! Kudos to Tyler and our "D" getting out this one with no damage.

Bows had men on in several innings, we never tried to steal 2nd, ever. Don't know if that UCSB catcher has an arm or not. But now it is getting late in the game, Stephen Ventimilia gets on, and steals 2nd with a superb early takeoff and *the* best speed ever seen from the dugout in 20 yrs on his way to 2nd. In a combine he would have clocked under 4 seconds in the 40 yard, it was that good. He beat the throw by 1/2 second; he almost could have stood up and walked in on that great steal. Kudos to Trap for that call, that won the game! So we have SV on 2nd. RISP. Alan Baldwin can't deliver (altho he usually does), but guess who does bang the game winning hit? Ka'eo Aliviado. Not like he isn't already the best role model that every parent dreams of for all our kids growing up the islands? Ka'eo also brings it when it counts, tonight was a HUGE base hit, and Stephen with the wheels to score the game winning RBI, and UHBaseBows whup #8 in the nation, final 1-0.

Tyler Brashears pitched through 7 innings, Quentin Torres-Costa again stellar in relief, he smoked some of those guys in the 8th and 9th innings with pitches that neither dugout could believe, beautifully insane stuff. So yeah, Kona weather tonight, muggy and no breeze, clouds overhead casually drifting from Diamond Head towards Pearl City, but no breeze in the park, flags wrapped around and hugging the poles most of the evening. But lots of good baseball.

BTW, our 1B, Eric Ramirez, ripped one to deep right that was barely foul and was caught for an out inches from the wall. If we had even a hint of our usual Manoa breeze that ball would have been out of the yard and Eric didn't even get all of it. He already is one of our best batters, leads the team in walks, could almost be the best glove we have except #5 Stephen is also fantastic, #2 Ka'eo is perfect, and #25 Jacob Sheldon-Collins has made so many jaw-dropping plays at short this year he might be a Golden Glove candidate....but Eric Ramirez, when the bat comes around? Could be one of the best UHBB has ever seen. *Twice* tonight he snagged improbable infield hits down the 1st base line and tagged runners out, a bunch more he snagged and had coverage by pitcher or 2B for the out at the bag. Just amazing "D" by this guy and he is a freshman, drafted by the pros out of HS but recruited here, hope we can keep him all 4 years, he can make this program, he is that good.

Overall, tonight? Basebows played some of their best ball of the season, and as of late it has been really spectacular. With stellar pitching, great D, UH beats #8 in the USA. And game was coached as perfectly as you could ever ask for, tight when needed. Radical/Going For It when called for. And brought home the biggest win of the season on one of the best nights for UH baseball this year!

Series tied at 1-1, and a great night at Murakami Stadium, that is why you want to be there.

Go Bows !

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