Gimenez, Cappuccilli in tight race for being hit the most

RENO -- Even though the race for the postseason is long over, the University of Nevada baseball team still has one interesting race left--who will get hit the most times this season.

Chris Gimenez and Tony Cappuccilli are the two front runners and neither would let the other separate themselves in Saturday's 14-10 win over Hawai'i at Peccole Park.

Cappuccilli, who trailed Gimenez by two going into the game, was hit twice in the first two innings. Gimenez wouldn't be caught, though. He was also hit in the second and Hawai'i reliever, Aaron Pribble, hit him later on in the game, allowing Gimenez to maintain his lead.

This season Gimenez has been 14 times in only 66 at bats. Cappuccilli, on the other hand, has been hit 12 times in 124 at bats, nearly twice as many as the freshman from Gilroy, Calif.

"I try to get on base any way I can," Gimenez said. "I've always been beamed. I've been very good at that."

Nevada coach Gary Powers, though, defends Gimenez, saying he doesn't intentionally get hit.

"They're trying to jam him all the time," Powers said. "There's a way to take a pitch and he knows how to do it. He can't jump away from it. If you go up against a breaking ball pitcher and you start doing that, you might get embarrassed."

Gimenez, though, admits he's leaned into a few pitches. But the umpires might be catching on. Gimenez said on five occasions this season after being hit by a pitch, the umpire has called him back.

The Wolf Pack has only five games left, so stay tuned.

FORMER CAPITOL NOW A RAINBOW

Will Quaglieri, who played one summer with the Carson Capitols, is now a sophomore at Hawai'i. Quaglieri, a Manogue graduate, played his freshman year at Purdue University before transferring. As a reliever this season, Quaglieri has made 14 appearances with only one start, going 2-4. The 6-foot-2 right hander has an ERA of 5.03 and has struck out 38 batters, the most of any non starter.

BERGMAN'S RECORDS AT HAWAI'I NOT FLASHY

Carson High graduate Dusty Bergman, who attended Hawai'i from 1997-99, can't use the record books for bragging rights. Bergman, who was taken in the sixth round of the '99 draft by the Anaheim Angels, is only in the top 10 in three categories. He's first in most wild pitches (35) and balks (5) and he ranks eighth all time in most career losses with 14.

Bergman is currently with the Salt Lake Stingers, Anaheim's AAA affiliate.

BY GEORGE, I THINK HE HIT HIM

Rainbow starter Chris George hit five batters in the first 1 1/3 innings on Saturday. The five hit batsmen set a Hawai'i single game record. George, the Rainbows' ace with a 6-5 record, hit only seven batters in 80 2/3 innings coming into Saturday's game. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings in the loss.

ANOTHER BAD RECORD FOR HAWAII

With yesterday's loss to Nevada, the Rainbows will go down as the worst team in the school's history. The 1997 team went 22-34. So even if it won its five remaining games, the best Hawai'i (16-35) could finish would be 21-35.