UHH Series Canceled Because of Rains
Hilo, Hawaii (February 26, 2002)--One out was all BYU needed to secure a completed game and perhaps a 4-1 victory Monday at the University of Hawai`i-Hilo.
However, heavy rain forced the cancellation of all three of BYU's games against the Vulcans, a Division One Independent who have a 3-22-1 record.
"I've never seen rain like this in my life," said BYU Coach Vance Law. "There was thunder and lightening. Unfortunately we started the game 15 minutes later and Jake (Chrisman) walked the last batter or we might have had a victory."
The Cougars remain with a 5-11 record and will not be able to count several good performances from the canceled game. Foremost among these was Jake Chrisman pitching 4.2 innings, giving up two hits and striking out seven Vulcans.
"Jake pitched well and we hit the ball well," said Law. We are starting to come together a bit even though it has taken longer than we hoped."
Other Cougars who were recording good marks in Monday's game were Doug Jackson and Cameron Coughlan who were both two-for-three and each hit doubles and batted in a run apiece. BYU's other RBIs came from Rob Itri, who was two-for-two, and Kevin Bills who had a single and a stolen base. Matt Carson and Lars Birkeland also had singles in the game.
The Cougars had scored four runs off nine hits and had no errors, while UHH had one run off two hits. BYU stranded five men on base, while the Vulcans left three, including one on base at the time the game was suspended.
The game had a 20-minute rain delay as water puddled in left field and behind first base. Then when the tarp was being removed, a heavier downpour came. Officials looked at resuming play Tuesday in Kona, two hours away, but a landslide created traffic problems and there was no electricity in that town.
The Cougars return home Wednesday morning, but are idle from competition until they start the Mountain West Conference season on March 11 (Monday) to begin a three-game series at UNLV. BYU had won a pair of one-run games last week at the University of Hawai`i.
