Sisto Starts for Hawaii in WAC baseball tourney

By Fred Guzman

Matt Sisto has gone from being Hawaii’s most dependable starter to its least consistent in the span of just a month, or so. But the right-hander remains the top choice of coach Mike Trapasso.

So it is that Sisto will get the call today when the top-seeded Rainbows open their bid in the WAC baseball tournament against San Jose State.  Sisto will be opposed by either Esteban Guzman or Blake McFarland. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m., Hawaii ime, in Mesa, Ariz.

The Spartans advanced by riding a strong outing by all-WAC starter Roberto Padilla in a 5-3 win over Nevada.

The left-hander took a no-hitter into the sixth, retiring 15 in a row after issuing a leadoff walk to open the game. Padilla struck out six in eight innings, allowing three runs on five hits.

The Spartans will bring a 34-24 overall record into today’s game against the Rainbows, who won three of four games against San Jose State – including an unlikely 9-8 win in the home finale by rallying for four runs with two outs in the bottom ninth thanks to a three-run throwing error.

In that series, Jeff Van Doornum went 8-for-16 and drove in six runs. Collin Bennett also had a productive few days against the Spartans by going 5-for-13 with four runs and a pair of doubles.

In today’s other winner’s bracket game, second-seeded Fresno State will tangle with Louisiana Tech which advanced win 9-3 romp past New Mexico State.