Rainbows overpower Spartans

Hawaii has a chance to capture its first WAC baseball title since 1992 today

SAN JOSE, Calif. » Justin Costi pitched his second complete game of the season yesterday, outdueling San Jose State ace Brandon Dewing as the Hawaii baseball team fashioned a 6-0 Western Athletic Conference win.

Hawaii   SJSU 6 0 Next up vs. SJSU today

Costi's teammates produced 15 hits off four pitchers in the second league game of the series at Municipal Stadium. The key win didn't lift the Rainbows into first place in the WAC, but did put pressure on front-running Fresno State.

The Bulldogs (38-16, 17-6) pounded Sacramento State 14-3 yesterday to remain in first place by a half-game over the Rainbows (39-13, 16-6). Both teams complete their regular season today.

Hawaii pecked away at Dewing with single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, forcing the senior left-hander to throw a higher-than-usual number of pitches (83). SJSU (33-23, 12-11) coach Sam Piraro went to his bullpen to start the sixth, but by then, the damage was done.

Costi experienced one troublesome inning after he hit two batters and gave up a single to Brody Massman to load the bases in the fourth. That prompted a visit from UH coach was in the predicament by his own making," Trapasso said. "He wasn't doing the things he needed to do mechanically. He was flying open and standing straight up (when he delivered a pitch)."

Costi got out of the inning by getting John Shaffer to hit a ball to third baseman Justin Frash, who stepped on the bag and threw to first in time for the double play, the first of three twin-killings by the UH infield.

"Justin got the double play on a changeup inside that the guy kind of fisted the ball," Trapasso said. "He worked out the mechanical problem as the game went on and got better by focusing more on his finish."

Matt Inouye, who was 3-for-3 and scored three of the UH runs, started the second with a double down the left-field line and scored on Eli Christensen's one-out single to center.

With two down in the third, Luis Avila was safe at first on a fielding error by Spartans shortstop Shaffer. Avila took second on Inouye's single to center and scored on Esteban Lopez's single to right.

UH upped the score to 3-0 in the third. Jon Hee was credited with a single after San Jose State second baseman David Pierson fell down attempting to reach Hee's pop-up.

Hee moved to second when Robbie Wilder broke an 0-for-11 streak with a single to right. Frash's single to center scored Hee.

Inouye singled to center to start the fifth, advanced to third on Lopez's single to right and scored on a double-play ball for a 4-0 UH lead.

Dewing ended the inning by fanning Jorge Franco, the last batter he faced.

"Dewing had good stuff today, but we were getting good swings off him," Trapasso said. "He never gave up the crooked number although we seemed to have him in trouble often.

"It was a good offensive effort for us today."

After getting out of the fourth inning, Costi retired eight consecutive Spartans before walking Raul Campos with two down in the seventh. The senior right-hander was touched for a single in the eighth and two in the ninth, but each time threw a timely double-play ball.

"Justin was able to make the pitches when he needed to," Trapasso said.

The 'Bows, 15-3 on the road, will go after their 40th win and the series sweep today with Ian Harrington on the mound.

Depending on today's results, Hawaii and Fresno State will play either Louisiana Tech or Sacramento State in the first round of next week's WAC Tournament.

San Jose State will be the No. 3 seed and play No. 4 Nevada on opening day Thursday.

If FSU finishes in first place, it will meet No. 6 seed Sacramento State and UH will play No. 5 seed LaTech. If UH wins today and FSU loses, those pairings would switch.

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