Tribune-Herald
Waiakea graduate Quintin Torres-Costa dropped his second college start as the University of Hawaii lost its eighth straight baseball game to open the season.
Michael Aquino homered and drove in three runs Monday and John Simms pitched six shutout innings in No. 13 Rice’s 5-0 victory, capping a four-game sweep at Les Murakami Stadium in Honolulu.
Torres-Costa allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings and left with the Warriors trailing 3-0. Aquino drove in a run with a single in the second, then in the fifth he singled and moved to third on Keenan Cook’s double and scored on a sacrifice fly.
Torres-Costa walked Ford Stainback to lead off the sixth. The shortstop stole second and scored on Michael Ratterree RBI’s hit.
Torres-Costa, who led Waiakea to the HHSAA Division I championship last May at Les Murakami Stadium, threw 67 of his 103 pitches for strikes. He allowed seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Simms (3-0) didn’t walk a batter for the Owls (6-2), scattering five hits with three strikeouts.
Aquino hit a two-run home run off Jon Flinn in the eighth after Shane Hoelscher (2 for 4) doubled.
Kaeo Aliviado and Trevor Podratz collected doubles for Hawaii, which finished with seven hits and continues its season Thursday at the Rebel Classic in Las Vegas.