WAC BASEBALL
Champ’s gone, so WAC is wide open
Rice leaves after nine straight titles; coaches pick Hawaii second
There is one guarantee in the Western Athletic Conference baseball race this year. There will be a new champion.
The Rice Owls abandoned the conference last summer after winning nine consecutive titles, one for every year they competed in the WAC.
Fresno State, runner-up a year ago, was picked to finish first in the regular season in the coaches' preseason poll. The Bulldogs were followed by Hawaii, Nevada, San Jose State, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech and Sacramento State.
The Rainbows host La-Tech in the only conference action this weekend. The other teams begin league play next week.
A year ago, following two demoralizing midweek defeats to Winthrop, the 'Bows opened against the Bulldogs and lost two of the three games at Les Murakami Stadium.
The preseason poll doesn't mean much to Rainbow coach Mike Trapasso.
"Just look at what LaTech has done the last couple weeks. They are much better than advertised," Trapasso said.
"They are the hottest team in our league offensively. They have really swung the bats well. They basically have a lineup of .300 hitters."
Trapasso was happy that everything he wanted to accomplish last week against Western Illinois happened, with one exception.
"I was disappointed we didn't get (right-handers) Rich Olsen and Tyler Davis some innings in Monday's game (shortened by rain)," Trapasso said.
"I think we've played pretty well in all areas so far this year. We can have a game where we might not get the best pitching or defense or offense. We've been fortunate that when we don't get our best pitching, we score a lot of runs. When we haven't scored, we've had good pitching."
The 'Bows will be without infielder Jon Hee for three to four weeks with a subluxation (a partial dislocation or abnormal movement of a bone in a joint) of his left shoulder.
"Jon has been a leader for us on and off the field. We need Nate (Young) and Eli (Christensen) to step up because they will be playing in Jon's place."
The Rainbows play one three-game series against Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico State and Sacramento State and home-and-home series with LaTech and San Jose State this year.
In the WAC's rotating schedule, the 'Bows play Fresno State and Nevada home-and-home next year and New Mexico State and Sacramento State in 2008.
Here is a capsule look at the league teams in the order they play UH, with overall record in parenthesis:
Louisiana Tech (9-10)
Coach: Wade Simoneaux, 4th season (64-121-1, 347).
2005 WAC record: 9-20 (sixth).
Players to watch: RHP Matt Lacy, OF Jericho Jones, 2B Amos Ramon.
Outlook: Simoneaux recruited 16 freshmen to rebuild after a 17-39 season including Jones, who is hitting .519 and was the MVP of last week's Baylor Tournament and this week's WAC Hitter of the Week. Ramon, a senior, is next at .424 and leads the Bulldogs with 15 RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Albie Goulder is hitting .395. The Bulldogs like to run and have swiped 17 bases in 29 attempts. Jones also pitches. He went five innings Tuesday in a 14-5 win over Lamar to improve to 3-0.
San Jose State (14-9)
Coach: Sam Piraro, 19th season (601-452-6, .570).
2005 WAC record: 13-17 (fifth).
Players to watch: LHP Branden Dewing, 2B David Pierson, OF Ryan Angel.
Outlook: The Spartans gave Piraro his 600th career victory Sunday with a 9-3 win over Miami (Ohio). They have won five of their last six games despite hitting just .260 as a team. The Spartans play excellent defense (.980 fielding percentage), get solid pitching (.386 staff ERA) and timely hits. Designated hitter Greg Fyfe (.387) is the top batter. John Shaffer (.350), Aaron Loewenthal (.316) and Pierson (.303) follow. First baseman Brandon Fromm is the RBI leader with 18.
Fresno State (15-8)
Coach: Mike Batesole, 12th season, 360-253-1, .587)
2005 WAC record: 16-14 (second).
Players to watch: 1B Kent Sakamoto, OF Steve Susdorf, LHP Eddie Romero.
Outlook: The Bulldogs were 7-8 in February, historically a typical start for them under Batesole, but have won six consecutive games since March 1. They play six games in their own tournament this week. Sakamoto is the leading hitter (.330) followed by Christian Vitters (.329). Susdorf, a freshman, has provided power with a team-leading six home runs and 18 RBIs. Romero is the staff ace with a 5-1 record and 3.15 ERA. Also in the rotation are right-handers Andy Underwood (4-2, 2.40) and Doug Fister (3-3, 3.06).
Nevada (5-12)
Coach: Gary Powers, 24th season (705-553-4, .560)
2005 WAC record: 15-15 (fourth).
Players to watch: RHP Ryan Rodriguez, RHP Tim Schoeninger, DH Matt Bowman.
Outlook: The Wolf Pack are off to a slow start, hitting just .227 as a team. Two starters return in Rodriguez (2-4, 3.19) and Schoeninger (1-2, 3.75) but Powers has experimented with three other pitchers in search of a third starter. As usual, most of the Wolf Pack's early schedule is on the road, where they are 1-9. Outfielder Shawn Scobee has power and tops the team with five homers and 14 RBIs. The school installed Field Turf and lights at Peccole Park, so the Rainbows will play a night game there for the first time on April 14.
New Mexico State (10-13)
Coach: Rocky Ward, 8th season (195-221-1, .469)
2005 conference record: 13-11 (fifth in Sun Belt)
Players to watch: 1B Luke Hopkins, RHP Jason Conner, SS Abe Aguirre.
Outlook: The Aggies have played 20 of their first 23 games at home, where they are 9-11. Opponents have enjoyed the light air at Presley Askew Field just as much as the Aggies, who are hitting .317 as a team. Overall, opponents are hitting .336 vs. an NMSU pitching staff that has an 8.35 ERA. Hopkins, who has been the WAC Hitter of the Week twice, is hitting .468 and has 12 home runs and 50 RBIs.
Sacramento State (9-12)
Coach: John Smith, 28th season (773-742-1, .510)
2005 conference record: Independent (20-36-1)
Players to watch: OF Jim Strombach, LHP Matt Campbell, LHP Mick Joyce.
Outlook: The Hornets, playing as an associate member of the WAC, have four Hawaii players: Strombach, a senior outfielder from Moanalua; Taylor Watanabe (Aiea), a sophomore infielder; sophomore catcher Brett Tanigawa (Moanalua); and junior left-hander Chris Mols (Roosevelt). Strombach, with a .264 career batting average, is off to a fast start, hitting .328. Watanabe is hitting .348, having played in half the games with five starts.