Sometimes it’s better to be lucky AND good.
UH-Hilo freshman left-hander Kyle Alcorn was the latter Friday night, keeping Cal Baptist and it’s impressive lineup in check.
In the ninth inning, the Vulcans took advantage of some good fortune, turning an error and a wild pitch into a 2-1 victory against the Lancers at Wong Stadium.
Alcorn went six strong innings and allowed only an unearned run with five strikeouts for the Vulcans (8-10, 4-6 Pacific West Conference), who have won the past four games Alcorn has started.
Cole Nakachi worked two hitless innings, and Deric Valoroso and John Kea (2-1) got through the ninth, allowing UH-Hilo to rally.
Phillip Steering and RJ Romo singled with one out to put runners on first and second. Dylan Sugimoto hit a sharp ground ball to the right side that was booted, loading the bases.
Tough-luck loser Dylan Stowell exited in favor of Angel Delgado, whose first pitch promptly skidded off the dirt and away from home plate, allowing Steering to sprint home with the winning run.
In evening the four-game series at 1-1 against one of the top teams in the West Region, the Vulcans even got away with giving away a base runner. Jonathan Segovia struck out to start the ninth on a pitch in the dirt but reached first on a bad throw by the catcher, only to be caught trying to steal.
Segovia finished with two of the Vulcans’ five hits, including two-out single in the third to score Edo Sakata, who singled ahead of Kyle Yamada’s hit, making the score 1-0.
Stowell was a touch customer otherwise, striking out 10 in 8 1/3 innings and walking only one. Before Steering and Romo singled to fuel the winning rally, Stowell struck out five of the past six batters he faced.
The Lancers (14-6, 7-3) tied the game in the sixth when Tommy Bell tripled off Alcorn with with two outs and scored one batter later on an error.
Alcorn allowed only four hits and walked one, lowering his ERA to 2.36. He’s yet to be charged with more than three earned runs in his any of his five starts.
Bell and Ryan Williams had two hits apiece for Cal Baptist,
The teams play a 4 p.m. doubleheader Saturday as the Vulcans close a 20-game season-opening homestand.
