The Hawaii Tropics hit the road for five games. They play the first series in Valencia against the Stars. The Stars have been in the middle of the jumbled Pacific with a 5-5 record going into the series.
Game 1- SP Alaric Wullenweber took the ball in the series opener and dominated the home team from the start. Wullenweber pitched seven innings and gave up just five hits. He struck out eleven batters and walked no one. He improved to 2-1 on the season and has a nice 2.79 ERA.
Hawaii 3B Ben Vaive was 1 for 4 with a two run homer.
Hawaii wins 3-1.
Game 2- SP Niccolo “Notorious” Destefani matched Wullenweber’s efforts from the series opener. Destefani pitched eight innings giving up just four hits, two walks and struck out seven batters. He earned his first win of the season and has an ERA of 2.95.
RP Stephen Taub came on in the ninth and earned his second save of the season. He allowed a hit and walked one but got a double play. He threw just four pitches to get the job done.
Backup C Jacob ‘El Chupa Cabra’ Brown was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI.
Hawaii wins 1-0.
Game 3- SP Zak Johnson makes it three in a row for the Tropics with another great performance by a Hawaii starter. Johnson pitched seven innings allowing just one run on seven hits, walked none and struck out four batters. He moves to 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA.
Stephen Taub pitched the final two innings allowing a run on two hits and struck out one but still earned hits third save of the season.
1B Gary Allen led the way for the Tropics going 3 for 3 with a triple, a homer, a walk, two runs scored and two RBI. Allen has started slow and is hitting .240 with 2 homers and 9 RBI this season.
Hawaii wins 3-2 and sweeps the series.
Hawaii takes the road show to Sacramento for a two game series against the Mad Popes at their new Basilica at Muskrat Slough.
Game 1- The Tropics got another good start from their staff but the offense was stymied by the Mad Popes staff in a series opening loss. Hawaii SP Bob McConnell pitched six innings allowing a run on four hits. He walked none and struck out three batters. He was the hard luck loser and falls to 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA.
Stephen Taub stumbled in relief pitching an inning and giving up two runs on two hits.
RF Mike Campbell was only Tropic hitter that could get anything going against the Mad Popes going 3 for 4.
Sacramento wins 4-0.
Game 2- Alaric Wullenweber again fails to put a string of good starts together. He pitched five innings giving up four runs on eleven hits and walked one. He struck out three batters and threw 101 pitches.
Recent waiver claim 3B Fernando Rodriguez was 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Sacramento wins 4-2 and sweeps the seres.
