By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
Waiakea senior Quintin Torres-Costa just missed perfection on the mound and at the plate, firing a one-hitter and going 3 for 4.
His double-duty production carried the Warriors over Keaau 8-1 in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation baseball game Thursday at the Cougars Field, running Waiakea’s record to 7-0.
Torres-Costa’s no-hit bid was broken up in the sixth inning with one out when Traysyn Waltjen tripled to left field on a 1-1 pitch, scoring Rylan Martines, who worked an eight-pitch, full-count walk. The senior left-hander struck out the next to batters two end the inning.
In seven innings, Torres-Costa allowed a hit and one walk, and struck out 11, requiring 92 pitches for his complete-game gem. He was also effective attacking the strike zone, throwing 66 strikes and recording a strike 72 percent of the time.
“That was probably among his top two performances this season,” Waiakea coach Kevin Yee said. “He was a lot more poised and his demeanor was really good. He had good command of his pitches and was a lot more aggressive and went after hitters more.
“In the preseason tournament on Maui, he was lights out against Baldwin. Numbers-wise it didn’t show, but in the two circumstances he was very aggressive and that’s what we like to see.”
Torres-Costa’s hitting performance included a single in the first, walk in the third, two-run homer in the fourth, double in the sixth, and a flyout in the seventh. He went 3 for 4 with two RBIs to lead Waiakea’s 10-hit attack.
“He’s been hitting the ball really well, but his stats don’t show it,” Yee said. “He’s been hitting the ball really hard, but right at people. Our whole team has been going through it. I tell the guys to keep hitting and stay with it and the hits will fall in.
“We played defense really well. It was another good team effort. We made a couple of mistakes on the bases, but not anything we can’t adjust and learn from. Each day we go out will be a learning experience.”
Reyn Kihara was 2 for 3 with two runs, Kean Wong 2 for 4 and Robbey Meguro was 1 for 3 with two RBIs to lead the Warriors.
Adrian Huff pitched 6 1/3 innings in the loss for the Cougars (3-4). He allowed nine hits and four walks. Cody Silva recorded two outs and gave up a hit.
The Warriors added five runs in the seventh, an inning highlighted by Davy Camacho’s RBI single, and Meguro’s two-run single.
Waiakea 000 300 5 — 8 10 1
Keaau 000 001 0 — 1 1 3
State spots
The Hawaii High School Athletic Association released its league representation for state tournament berths, and the BIIF will have a play-in game for Division I baseball. The only other play-in game was in 2010.
The league will have two berths for the Division II state tournament, the same number as last season.
For softball, the BIIF will have a play-in game for Division I. The league’s only other play-in game was in 2008.
The league will have three spots for the Division II state tourney, the same number since statewide classification started in 2006.
For boys volleyball, the BIIF will have two berths for Division I and three for Division II. Water polo will also have two state spots.
