HONOLULU - Junior Tim Wheeler hit a pair of home runs, but the Hawai'i Rainbows hit three of their own to take home a 8-4 victory over the Sacramento State Baseball team on Sunday, April 19 at Les Murakami Stadium.
With the loss, the Hornets fall to 21-17, 2-6 in Western Athletic Conference play, while the Rainbows improved to 24-13, 7-4 in the WAC. They took 3-of-4 from the Hornets, and end the weekend tied with Nevada for first place in the conference.
The Rainbows took a 2-0 lead in the first, as for the third time in the series, Hawai'i first baseman Kevin Macdonald hit a two-run home run in the first. He combined with Vinnie Catricala to produce back-to-back solo homers in the third, extending the lead to 4-0.
The Hornets cut the Rainbow advantage to 4-2 in the top of the sixth, as Wheeler connected on his 13th home run of the season, a two-run opposite field shot to left.
Hawai'i, however, got an insurance run right back in the bottom of the inning, as Sean Montplaisir connected an RBI double to extend the lead to 5-2. The Rainbows then put the game away in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs to take a commanding 8-2 advantage.
Sacramento State attempted a comeback in the ninth, as Wheeler connected on his second opposite field home run of the day, another two run shot which gives him 14 on the season, but the Hornets would end up falling 8-4.
Junior Tommy Elrod (4-2) picked up the loss for the Hornets, allowing four runs on five hits in three innings of work. Jared Alexander (1-1), the preseason WAC Pitcher of the Year, picked up his first win of the season, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings.
Sophomore Derrick Chung led the Hornets offensively with a 3-for-3 day, while Wheeler finished 2-for-4 while driving in all four of the club's runs. Senior Jeff Roth went 1-for-4 with a single, extending his hitting streak to a team active high 12 games.
Kolten Wong went 3-for-5 to lead Hawai'i, while Catricala and Macdonald finished with a pair of hits apiece.
The Hornets return to action on the mainland on Friday, April 24 as they open up a four-game set with Louisiana Tech at Hornet Field. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 2 p.m.
HONOLULU - Junior 
