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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, February 16, 2003

Hawai'i's Cayetano frustrates Hornets

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Just in case.

Just in time.

Justin Cayetano.

The senior left-hander pitched eight effective innings against counterpart Chris Kinsey to lead Hawai'i over Sacramento State, 2-0, in collegiate baseball last night before 1,379 at Les Murakami Stadium.

Cayetano (1-0) scattered three hits and three walks with six strikeouts to extend UH's win streak to four games, matching last year's high. Clary Carlsen allowed an infield single in a scoreless ninth to gain his second save.

The Rainbows (5-1) will try to sweep the Hornets (5-3) in today's 1:05 p.m. series finale.

"He controlled the game," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "I did not think he really threw well early on and wasn't making good pitches. But he was able to spot his fastball and was able to get out of the early innings and settled and really, really commanded the game.

"The same could be said for Kinsey, who commanded the game from the onset. We were just able to make the plays and make the pitches to where we only needed the two runs. But those games are pretty rare in college baseball, two-to-nothing games."

Only one Hornet reached second base when Cayetano allowed two-out, back-to-back singles in the first.

Cayetano was dubbed an "X factor" because he could start or relieve. With projected starters Justin Azze and Colby Summer unavailable, Cayetano became the "just in case" starter.

Meanwhile, his performance could not have come at a better time. Kinsey (1-1) was doing a good job on UH's usually patient hitters. His effective pitching forced the Rainbows to be a little more aggressive early in counts; he used 90 pitches through seven innings. He did not walk a batter until two outs in the eighth.

But Cayetano persevered.

"I had a lot of command of my fastball moving in and away," Cayetano said. "I didn't really feel my changeup. I struggled with that and told my coach about that, to call more fastballs in, so that was my most effective pitch. When I got it in, it worked. I jammed people and they popped it up. The defense was just solid behind me."

Cayetano used 116 pitches before the right-handed Carlsen was summoned to pitch the ninth.

"I wanted him to go about 110," Trapasso said of Cayetano's pitch count. "I really didn't want him to go back out there for the ninth, even if it was 1-0. I didn't want him throwing 130 this early in the season. Clary comes in and was lights out, so that was good to see as well."

The different look and different velocities made it tough for the Hornets. Carlsen struck out the first two batters he faced before Jesse Schmidt chopped an infield single to short, but retired Brian Blauser on a force at second to end the game.

"It was a good change from left to right and from low 80s to high 80s and Clary's got a good change that really has great action on it," Trapasso said. "He came in, throws strikes. He competes."

The Mililani High graduate's road to UH did not come by H-2 to H-1. Cayetano pitched at Laney (Calif.) junior college for two seasons before transferring to Washington State for his junior year.

"When I was at Washington, things didn't work out so well, so I came back. Coach Trapasso saw me in an open league game. He told me he'd appreciate if I came, so I said, 'OK, it's my last year.' "

Except he had to sit out.

"It was really tough," Cayetano said of his idle season. "When you redshirt, you practice everyday with the team, but when it comes to competition, you can't compete at all. That's the sacrifice you have to make to get better, but that was hard."

It also was a happy beginning for left fielder Jaziel Mendoza, who missed the previous games — except for a pinch-hitting appearance — because of a pulled calf muscle. He jump-started UH with a two-out line single to right. He stole second and did a head-first slide into home on Brian Bock's ground single to center.

"It was great, being in the game and I got to contribute the first run for the team," he said. "It felt great."

Kinsey would not allow UH to score until two outs in the eighth. Brent Cook walked — the first allowed by Kinsey — stole second and scored when Josh Green lined a double to center to chase the Hornets' starter from the game.

Green worked Kinsey for seven pitches before ripping a curve for the double.

"I was looking for a fastball, but adjusted for off-speed," Green said.

It took 111 pitches before Kinsey let one slip.

"He was very good," Trapasso said of Kinsey. "Everything he throws has a little cut to it and he was breaking them for strikes. He is by far the best pitcher we've seen so far. We didn't have any answers for him."

The series finale will pit UH's Ricky Bauer (1-0) against Steve Cuckovich (2-0) in a battle of right-handers.

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