Jordan Kurokawa isn’t perfect.
Jordan Kurokawa isn’t perfect.
He wasn’t perfect in his first start of the season, but he was impressive in a shutout victory against the University of Hawaii-Manoa on Feb. 14, and after an unusually long 17-day wait, he wasn’t sharp Tuesday night at Wong Stadium in a 5-2 loss to Concordia University.
Kurokawa’s issues began in the second inning when he allowed two base hits but used 31 pitches to get three outs against an Eagles lineup that was not swinging early in the count.
He got his first strikeout in the third but allowed base hits to cleanup hitter John Bornhop and Hunter Hollandwho drove a ball to rightfield, sending Bornhop to third. Bornhop came in when Kurokawa was called for a balk.
Those two innings made for a short night for the Vulcans’ ace after he made 53 pitches to get through the second and third innings. Kurokawa completed six innings, gave up eight base hits, struck out five and walked two. His record was evened at 1-1 after two earned runs his ERA went to 1.20 after he threw 103 pitches in six innings.
Concordia’s Colin Orellana (1-1), troubled the Vulcans with an assortment of offside pitches that were all around the strike zone all night and he was aided by some heads up base running and Hawaii Hilo lapses in the field.
With a 2-0 lead, the Eagles jumped on freshman Thomas Warren, who came in to relieve Kurokawa and breezed through the seventh before surrendering a lead off double to straightaway centerfield by Luke Hussung who moved over on a ground out to first and scored on Joey Thompson’s single to right. With Mike Land at first and Michael Nava, who had reached on a fielder’s choice at third, Land broke to second and the Vulcans made a play on him, allowing Nava to score from third for a 5-0 lead.
In the eight inning, Michael Jenkerson led off with a walk, moved to second on a single by Kyle Yamada, pinch-hitter Jaron Manago doubled to score Jenkerson and Yamada eventually scored on a wild pitch.
UH-Hilo (2-2, 1-1 PacWest) hosts another 4 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday against Concordia (6-12, 2-4)
Vulcans 7, Eagles 4: The first conference win of the year was set in motion in the fourth inning when right fielder Jonathan Segovia hit a bases loaded single to left, driving in Sean Nearhoof, who had singled, and Edison Sakata who reached on an error just before Kyle Yamada walked. After an out, Jacob Grijalva doubled, advanced to third on a thowing error and scored on Nate Green’s sacrifice fly for a five-run inning and a 6-3 lead.
Starter David Moody went the first six innings and gave up seven hits. Eric Vegas came on to work the last three innings, striking out four while allowing just two hits.
The win was the first for Moody (1-1), and Vega record his first save.
Green had three of the Vulcans’ 10 hits in a game tilted by five Concordia errors.