JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Jose Castaneda, center, was congratulated by his Rainbow teammates yesterday after hitting a grand slam that gave Hawaii the lead over Florida State.

Sweep!

Jose Castaneda’s grand slam
helps power Hawaii past No. 3
Florida State

The Hawaii Rainbows completed a very successful encounter with No. 3 Florida State by sweeping the three-game series from the Seminoles before 1,063 fans at Les Murakami Stadium.

Hawaii 9 Florida st. 6 Next Up vs. Winthrop on Tuesday

Yesterday's game was delayed 74 minutes while the six-member grounds crew and many of the UH players transformed the water-soaked dirt areas into playable conditions.

The Rainbows (12-8) spotted the Seminoles (21-4) a four-run lead for the second consecutive game, then reversed the momentum with a seven-run fourth en route to a 9-6 victory.

The win is the first in a day game for the 2005 'Bows and runs their winning streak to four games, all against ranked opponents.

"I told (our) players after the last game of the tournament against Louisiana-Lafayette that it shows we can come out and play with anybody. They had been unbeatable the first four games of the tournament. It carried on over. We're playing with confidence," UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

UH starter Justin Costi had a rough start that might have been worse except for the double-play ball he threw to Bryan Henry to end the first inning.

Shane Robinson ripped Costi's first pitch inside the third-base bag down the left-field line for a double. With one out, Aaron Cheesman walked. Jack Rye lined an opposite-field single to left, scoring Robinson, with Cheesman stopping at second.

Brant Peacher's single to left loaded the bases. Costi then walked Daniel Wardell on four pitches to force Cheesman home for a 2-0 FSU lead.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Joe Spiers of Hawaii was tagged by FSU's Nick Francis trying to steal yesterday. Spiers succeeded on his first 18 tries this season.

The Seminoles put another two-spot on the board in the second that began with Ryne Jernigan reaching second on a bunt single and Costi's throwing error.

Jernigan took third on Nick Francis' sacrifice bunt and, after Robinson walked, scored on Gibbs Chapman's sacrifice fly to center. Robinson advanced to second on Cheesman's single to left and scored when Rye bounced a single into right.

"Early on, I think Justin wasn't ready to get started. The truth is I think he may have come to the ballpark, saw the weather and thought he might be pushed back to Tuesday," said Trapasso. "So, he started out of the gate a little tentative. Then he settled down (in the third and fourth innings) and started making his pitches."

The 'Bows unleashed extra-base power in the fourth when they scored seven runs, the last four coming on a grand slam by Jose Castaneda.

This time Hawaii scored all seven runs before any batter was retired in contrast to the first two games of the series, when 14 of the 22 UH runs came home with two outs.

Isaac Omura started the rally with a double to right-center and scored on Luis Avila's bloop single over first base. Avila moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Matt Inouye's double to center. Rocky Russo then doubled to left center, scoring Inouye.

Jeff Piaskowski singled to right, with Russo stopping at third. Adam Roberts was hit by a pitch, loading the bases and setting the stage for Castaneda's 400-foot blast.

"He (FSU starter Hunter Jones) is a lefty. I was looking for something middle out, but the pitch was a fastball middle in and I drove it," said Castaneda. "They brought me in to drive in runs. I've been working with the coaches on slight adjustments to my swing and I'm beginning to feel comfortable."

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Jose Castaneda of Hawaii connected for a grand slam yesterday in a seven-run inning against Florida State.

Costi retired the first two batters in the top of the fifth, but walked Wardell. After consecutive run-scoring doubles by Henry and Jernigan brought the Seminoles to within one run (7-6), Trapasso signaled for Guy McDowell to get the final out.

"Once Justin got the big inning, he started overthrowing. His ball was up because he didn't stay within himself," said Trapasso. "He was one out away from getting a big win, but it's more important the win goes on our record than his record."

McDowell got through the sixth, but walked the first two Seminoles in the seventh. Darrell Fisherbaugh relieved and prevented any damage by getting ground balls from Henry for a force at second and from Jernigan, who hit into a double play.

Hawaii added insurance runs in the seventh on RBI singles by Omura and Inouye.

Fisherbaugh closed to get his first save with three hitless innings.

Hawaii 9, Florida State 6

FSU	AB	R	H	BI	Hawaii	AB	R	H	BI
Robinson cf	4	2	1	0	Spiers ss	4	1	2	0
Chapman lf	3	0	0	1	Ammon c	3	0	0	0
Cheesman c	4	1	2	0	Omura 2b	4	2	2	0
Rye rf	4	0	2	2	Avila 1b	4	1	3	1
O' Connor rf	1	0	0	0	Inouye cf	4	1	2	2
Preacher dh	3	0	1	0	Russo dh	3	1	1	1
Malone ph-dh	1	0	0	0	Piaskowski lf	3	1	1	0
Wardell 1b	2	1	0	1	Dupree lf	1	0	0	0
Henry 3b-p	4	1	1	1	Roberts 3b	2	1	0	0
Jernigan 2b	4	1	2	1	Hee 3b	1	0	0	0
Francis ss	2	0	0	0	Castaneda rf	3	1	1	4
Manasa ph-ss	0	0	0	0
Totals	32	6	9	6	Totals	32	9	12	8

FSU	220	020	000		--	6	9	3
Hawaii	000	700	20X		--	9	12	1

E--Rye; O'Connor; Diblasi, Costi. DP--FSU 1, Hawaii 2. LOB--FSU 9, Hawaii 4. 2B--Robinson; Henry; Jernigan; Omura; Inouye; Russo. HR--Castaneda. SH--Francis; Ammon.SF-- Chapman. SB--Chapman. CS--Spiers, Castaneda.

FSU	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Jones	3	5	4	4	1	0
Schultz (L, 0-1)	3 1/3	5	4	4	0	2
DiBlasi	2/3	2	1	0	0	1
Jarvis	2/3	0	0	0	2	0
Henry	1/3	0	0	0	0	0
Hawaii	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Costi	4 2/3	8	6	6	5	3
McDowell (W, 2-0)	1 1/3	1	0	0	2	2
Fisherbaugh (S, 1)	3	0	0	0	1	2

WP--Jones; Jarvis. HBP--by Schutlz (Roberts).
Umpires--Keoki Torres (home), Jim LeBeau (first), Mike Evans (third).
T--2:55. A--1,063.