Hawaii scores often, holds on for victory
Hawaii scores often, holds on for victory
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
Maybe Reece Alnas should make a tradition of proposing every day to his soon-to-be new bride, Tamy Leipelt.
Alnas batted 2 for 4 with an RBI and the Hawaii Stars brought the lumber, pounded enough basehits, and outlasted the Sonoma County Grapes 10-7 in a North American Baseball League on Friday night at Wong Stadium.
After Thursday’s 3-2 loss, Alnas took Leipelt to the diamond and popped the question. She said, “Yes,” and the 2007 Kamehameha graduate belted two hits the next day, raising his batting average to .220.
The couple met at Oklahoma Baptist, and Leipelt, who’s from Brazil, supported and watched Alnas’ ballgames.
“We’re getting married Saturday,” said Alnas, who has to put a wedding reception on hold because the Stars (7-3) conclude the six-game series with the Grapes (4-6) with a doubleheader at 1:35 p.m. today.
Ronnie Loeffler (2-0), a former UH-Hilo player, is scheduled to start one of the two games. In his two starts, he lost no-hitters with one out in the sixth inning.
“She would be one of the five fans to watch my games at Oklahoma Baptist,” Alnas said. “It was too cold outside. It feels really good. I saw it coming and she saw it coming. We’ve been together three years and it was only a matter of time. It feels really good and I’m happy.”
Matt Hibbert, who went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, continues to swing a hot bat for the Stars, who compiled 12 hits. He pushed his batting average to .486. Branden Davis batted 2 for 3 and bumped his average to .344.
Ryan Screnar went six innings for the win. He allowed six runs (two unearned) on six hits and three walks, and struck out three. Michael Kenui yielded an unearned run in two innings, and Cortney Arruda pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.
Matt Gibbs allowed seven runs in four innings for the loss. Michael Johnson gave up three runs (one uneared) in the other four innings.
Brandon Gregorich was 2 for 4 and Joe Lewis batted 2 for 3, and DJ Dixon and Sam Perry had two RBIs each to lead Sonoma County, which scored four runs in the fourth, highlighted by Dixon’s two-run homer.