Arkansas has a top 25 program and a high profile coach, but is still not ready for a trip to Hawaii. Arkansas off UH schedule
Star-Bulletin staff
The Razorbacks, who finished last season ranked in the top 25 of all four college baseball polls for the first time since 1999 and hired coach Dave Van Horn away from Nebraska in the off season, has backed out of its tentatively scheduled games at Hawaii Jan. 30-Feb. 1.
Van Horn pulled out, saying that the date was too early for him to prepare his team. Arkansas will now open Feb. 10 at home. Trapasso set up the dates with Norm DeBriyn, Arkansas' previous coach who retired after 33 seasons.
"It is no big deal," Trapasso said. "None of the contracts were signed and I kind of expected it given the situation."
Hawaii will open against UCLA on Feb. 7, meaning it would start its season on its latest date since 1978, when it opened March 10. The annual alumni game will be moved up to Feb. 1, the spot vacated by Arkansas.
"Its not a late start," Trapasso, who is in Reno, Nev., for the WAC coaches meetings, said. "It might be a late start for what we have done in the past, but it is not a late by the way we want to do things."
Trapasso said he will make up the three games with midweek games later in the year, which is something he says he has been looking to do all along.
Coastal Carolina, Hawaii Pacific and Hawaii-Hilo are already on the schedule for midweek games, and Trapasso is trying to add one more.
"I think it might actually help attendance," Trapasso said. "It will be pretty interesting to play during the week when nothing else is going on. Plus it is important for us to stay in rhythm and build pitching depth."
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