Hilo Avoids PWC Sweep with Walkoff HR

DSC wins Tuesday opener 7-4, drop nightcap 4-3

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Box Scores: Game 1 - DSC 7, UHH 4 | Game 2 - UHH 4, DSC 3

HILO, Hawaii – A sweep of four conference games fell one out short Tuesday at Wong Stadium. Keoni Manago's walk off three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh gave the host Vulcans a 4-3 win. Dixie State College handled UH-Hilo earlier in the day 7-4 in Pacific West Conference play.

The Red Storm (24-14, 19-9 PWC) received a strong start from James Mahler (Sandy, UT/West Jordan) in Tuesday's first game. He struck out eight batters in 6.1 innings while allowing four runs on seven hits. Mike Vetter (Glendale, AZ/Moutain Ridge) scattered one hit in relief before handing the ball to Kyle DiMartino (Las Vegas, NV/Durango), who fanned two and allowed just one hit over the final 2.1 innings.

Mahler improved to 5-3 on the season and DiMartino notched save number three.

Joe Andrade (Yuma, AZ/San Luis ), Tyson Littlewood (St. George. UT/Pine View HS) and #Mike Stiles each had two hits for DSC.

In the nightcap, a quality start from sophomore Troy Hunter (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial) was spoiled after Manago's heroics. Hunter allowed an earned run on six hits, struck out five and walked nobody in six frames.

Judd Jensen gave Dixie State a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the second inning.

Tied at 1-1 heading to the final frame, the Red Storm added two runs. Tony Nelson (St. George. UT/Dixie) hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Littlewood and Andrade doubled home a second run for a 3-1 lead.

Daniel Zapata (Mesa, AZ/Westwood) – who had not allowed a run in over 17 previous innings – seemed to be in control striking out the first two batters he faced in the seventh inning. Zapata lost the strike zone walking one batter and plunking another preceding the Manago walk off.

Aaron Correa went the distance for UH-Hilo earning the win (2-2).

DSC was held to five hits – Jensen led the Red Storm with two.

The final game of the series is Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Mountain and will be contested as a non-conference affair.

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