HAwaii tribune-herald
HAwaii tribune-herald
The University of Hawaii only needed three starting pitchers when it went to the Houston College Classic in early March, and there was no reason whatsoever for any of those pitchers to be named Quintin Torres-Costa.
The sophomore left-hander had just been tagged for eight runs and only recorded five outs in a 16-1 loss at Pepperdine. Moved to the bullpen by coach Mike Trapasso, Torres-Costa gave up two runs in an inning against Houston, and his line (one balk, one hit batter) included the nagging warts expected of a struggling pitcher. His ERA ballooned to 10.80.
It wasn’t just that the light finally went on for Torres-Costa. Something clicked for the Waiakea graduate, and his mental and physical strengths were a perfect fit for the bullpen.
“Like lightning in a bottle,” Trapasso said.
What better way to describe Torres-Costa’s transformation from odd-man out to all-league reliever?
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Trapasso said.
Starting with a relief appearance March 20 against New Mexico State, Torres-Costa didn’t allow an earned run in his final 23 innings, striking out 31 batters during the span and allowing only 11 hits and 12 walks. He was just as hard on Big West batters as he was on the BIIF in 2012 when he pitched Waiakea to the HHSAA Division I title, throwing 18-1/3 scoreless innings. He whittled his ERA down to 4.00.
Emerging as a closer, he finished fourth in the Big West with eight saves and was named second-team all-league earlier in the week.
“I think the move to the bullpen did two things,” Trapasso said. “It fit his temperament. His mindset is to be very aggressive. He likes the intense situations.
“Frankly, it also fit his skill-set as a player. As a starter, he was trying to mix his pitches. As a closer he could just rely on his fastball.”
Save opportunities were few and far between late in the season for Torres-Costa as the Rainbow Warriors (21-32, 12-12 Big West) finished the season on a six-game losing streak. Hilo graduate Chayce Ka‘aua and former Konawaena standout JJ Kitaoka both saw significant playing time during their redshirt freshman seasons.
Two of Torres-Costa’s saves completed shutouts started by right-hander Tyler Brashears, who was named first-team all-Big West. The junior went 8-5 with a 1.86 ERA.
Two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Trapasso said Torres-Costa’s velocity is back to if not better than it was before he suffered his injury. Already capable of peppering the strike zone on both sides of the plate, Trapasso said Torres-Costa’s next step is to refine a secondary pitch.
“For his development toward pro baseball, it’s important that he develop another pitch to keep hitters off-balance,” Trapasso said.
While Torres-Costa carved out his niche as closer, Ka‘aua cemented his place at catcher, batting .260 with 16 RBIs. In 47 games, he led UH with nine doubles, was third in on-base percentage (.346) and fifth with 21 runs scored.
“I could not be happier with the year he had,” Trapasso said. “What he gives us is an even approach for our pitchers. He pushes tempo and makes our pitchers work fast.
“That’s something I’m big on.”
Hawaii was beaten on the base paths this season, swiping 29 bases while yielding 75. Trapasso blamed the bulk of those stolen bases allowed on his pitchers.
“(Chayce) needs to continue to develop and refine his game with his receiving, his blocking and this throwing,” Trapasso said. “I think we’ll continue to see him grow in leadership and see him improve.”
Kitaoka showed flashes with his bat, but his production and playing time were derailed by his glove. Seeing time at second and third base, he led Hawaii with 11 errors.
“He was fielding the ball too tentative, fielding it too deep,” Trapasso said.
Kitaoka was one of the team’s primary run-producers midway through the season, starting 33 games. He slumped late with only two hits in his final 31 at-bats, but he still finished fifth on UH with 17 RBIs, batting .200.
“His struggles defensively started to effect his offense,” Trapasso said. “There is no question with what he can do (offensively), but I really believe his defense got to him and got into his head.”
Wrapping up his career at New Mexico State, right-hander Matt Loeffler, a 2010 Waiakea grad, started 10 games and finished 2-5 with a 5.90 ERA. The Aggies finished 11-38-1.