Lanan Rice-Kashima rocketed a shot too hot for the third baseman to handle in the ninth inning to lead the Hawaii Pacific University to a 6-5 win over Azusa Pacific Saturday. HPU is no stranger to late inning dramatics. The
Lanan Rice-Kashima rocketed a shot too hot for the third baseman to handle in the ninth inning to lead the Hawaii Pacific University to a 6-5 win over Azusa Pacific Saturday.
HPU is no stranger to late inning dramatics.
The base knock secured the school’s 14th walk-off victory in the young season.
However, after winning the opener behind Rice-Kashima, a Kauai High School alumnus, the Sea Warriors dropped the nightcap 7-3 at the Hans L’Orange Park in Waipahu, Oahu, according to a HPU release.
HPU led 3-2 in the ninth inning of the first game, with ace Joshua “Rico” Garcia on the mound.
The Sea Warriors allowed three Azusa runs in the top of the ninth to give the Cougars a 5-2 lead before Chad Bollbol whacked an RBI double to knot the game, 5-5. That set up Rice-Kashima’s RBI shot to drive Kevin Lenik home, triggering a Sea Warrior celebration that mobbed Rice-Kashima in shallow center field.
Ryan Torres-Torioka had three hits and an RBI in the win. Rice-Kashima, Bollbol and Samuel Goold also had multi-hit games.
Azusa jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning of the second game and despite answering with two runs in the bottom of the frame, HPU could not catch up.
The Sea Warriors scored a run in the ninth inning with the bases loaded, the run crossing on a walk to James Carraway for the 3-7 deficit.
Both teams meet for a doubleheader today at the Hans L’Orange Park starting at 4 p.m.
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