RAINBOW BASEBALL
Hawaii’s Costi to start vs. HPU
The Hawaii Rainbows take on the Hawaii Pacific Sea Warriors tonight at Les Murakami Stadium in the first of three baseball games against in-state competition.
Hawaii Pacific at Hawaii
When: Today, 6:35 p.m.
Where: Les Murakami Stadium
TV: None
Radio: Live, KKEA, 1420-AM
Tickets: $6 orange and blue sections; $5 red section; $4 seniors, $3 students ages 4-18 and UH students in the red section
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Next month, Hawaii (5-2) travels to Hilo for two games against coach Joey Estrella's Vulcans.
Justin Costi will start on the mound for the Rainbows tonight. The senior right-hander had problems with his control in his only start of the season, the final game of the series against San Diego State. He gave up 10 hits and five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, leaving him with a 10.38 earned-run average.
UH coach Mike Trapasso also wants freshmen Jayson Kramer and Matt Daly, junior-college transfers Jeff Soskin and Tyler Davis, and Keahi Rawlins, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, to get mound time.
"Keahi is in the early stages of throwing to hitters. In reality, he is a little bit ahead of schedule. He has responded well to rehab," Trapasso said. "It is a matter of building it up with him."
Trapasso also wants to have freshman Matt Roquemore and sophomore Ryan Asato get some at-bats. Both outfielders swing from the left side.
Justin Frash has recovered from his injured right shoulder, and Trapasso said he won't hesitate to put the junior in the field at third base.
The Sea Warriors are 6-6 after taking last week's series against North Georgia College and State University 4-2. They have a team batting average of .288, but a team ERA of 6.43.
Either senior right-hander Mario Ramirez (1-0, 3.75 ERA) or freshman right-hander Kevin Matsumoto (0-1, 5.87) will start for Hawaii Pacific.
Head coach Garett Yukumoto is in his first season as HPU head coach. His assistants include Gary Tokunaga and two former Rainbows, Matt Apana and Tyler Cheff.
Note: Hawaii left-hander Mark Rodrigues was named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week. The senior from Koloa, Kauai, pitched seven innings against UC Irvine on Sunday, allowing no runs, no walks and just two hits to win his first game as a Rainbow.