Hawaii opens its 24-game Western Athletic Conference baseball season tonight against Nevada.
Two other WAC series have New Mexico State at San Jose State and Fresno State visiting Louisiana Tech.
The Rainbows have the best overall record in the WAC right now, but coach Mike Trapasso said the competition is "wide open."
"All you have to do is look at Sacramento State," Trapasso said. "All they've done is take series from LaTech and New Mexico State on the road. If you take a day off in this league, you're going to lose."
The Hornets got a head start stinging the Bulldogs and Aggies, but the Rainbows and defending champion Fresno State were picked by the coaches as preseason favorites, with talented LaTech not far behind. One of those three teams will likely emerge on top when the WAC's top six teams gather in Reno, Nev., at the end of May for the conference tournament.
"We've been playing well the past two weeks," Trapasso said. "If we continue to do so, we can win a lot more games than we lose the rest of the way."
Here's a look at who's who in WAC baseball as league play gets under way in earnest with three series this weekend:
Fresno State
Record: 12-15
Hosts Hawaii: April 13-15 (3)
Visits Hawaii: May 19-21 (3)
Coach: Mike Batesole (5th season)
Top Players: 2B Erik Wetzel (.340, 12 RBI, 20 R), CF Brian Lapin (.324, 3 HR, 19 RBI), LF Steve Susdorf (.320, 5 HR, 23 RBI), LHP Justin Wilson (3-2, 3.45), RHP Clayton Allison (3-2, 3.79), RHP Jason Breckley (5 SV, 20 K in 16.2 IP).
Hawaii
Record: 19-8
Coach: Mike Trapasso (6th season)
Top Players: 3B Justin Frash (.352, 1 HR, 15 RBI, .496 OBP) 1B Kris Sanchez (.404, 10 2B, 5 HR, 35 RBI, .697 SPCT), CF Brandon Haislet (.341, 1 HR, 8-9 SB), 2B Jon Hee (.338), RHP Tyler Davis (3-0, 1.64, 2 SV), RHP Josh Schneider (2-1, 2.28), RHP Matt Daly (2-1, 2.48, 35 K in 32.2 IP), LHP Ian Harrington (4-4, 3.04), LHP Mark Rodrigues (6-1, 2.78, 3 BB in 45.1 IP).
Louisiana Tech
Record: 17-11 (1-2 WAC)
Coach: Wade Simoneaux (5th season)
Visits Hawaii: April 20-22 (3)
Top Players: RF/P Brian Rike (.364, 12 HR, 37 RBI, .776 SPCT, 10-11 SB), LF/P Brandon Hudson (.343, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 4-1, 3.20), 1B Albie Goulder (.322, 5 HR, 28 RBI), OF/DH/P Jericho Jones (.320, 4 HR, 24 RBI), 3B Drew Bunting (.526 in 38 AB, .645 OBP), P Dylan Mosely (3-3, 2.56), P Luke Burnett (1-4, 4.29, 1 SV, 49 K in 35.2 IP).
Nevada
Record: 14-12
Visits Hawaii: Tonight-Sunday (3)
Hosts Hawaii: May 12-14 (3)
Coach: Gary Powers (25th season)
Top Players: RF Matt Suleski (.457 in 35 AB),1B Shaun Kort (.366, 3 3B, 20 RBI), C Konrad Schmidt (.350, 6 HR, 26 RBI, .663 SPCT.), LF/1B Daniel Eastman (.341 in 44 AB), LHP Jacob Kaup (2-0, 1.04), RHP Kody Keroher (3-1, 1.89, 3 SV), RHP Ryan Rodgriguez (3-3, 2.52), RHP Mario Rivera (3-0, 3.96).
New Mexico State
Record: 11-14 (1-2 WAC)
Coach: Rocky Ward (9th season)
Hosts Hawaii: April 27-29 (3)
Top Players: C Joe Leghorn (.392, 1 HR), OF Joseph Scaperotta (.374, 12 2B, 5 HR, 32 RBI), OF Marcus Quade (.393, 3 HR, 21 RBI), 2B Richard Stout (.309, 8-9 SB), 1B Leo Aguirre (.338, 2 HR, 20 RBI), P Brian Gausman (5-1, 3.50), P Frankie Duran (0-1, 4.24).
Sacramento State
Record: 8-15 (4-2 WAC)
Coach: John Smith (29th season)
Hosts Hawaii: April 5-7 (3)
Top Players: 1B Gabe Jacobo (.389, 10 2B, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 7-7 SB), SS Patrick Cummins (.341, 1 HR), RF Montana Dye (.338, 1 HR), LF Ryan Blair (.321, 2 HR, 19 RBIs, 9-11 SB), RHP Alvaro Orozco (3-2, 4.58).
San Jose State
Record: 15-8
Visits Hawaii: March 30-April 1 (3)
Coach: Sam Piraro (20th season)
Top Players: RF Donato Giovanatto (.372, 3 HR, 12 RBI), CF Chris Balatico (.355, 5-6 SB), 3B Kyle Bellows (.344, 3 HR, 19 RBI), LF Aaron Lowenthal (.341, 1 HR, 7 RBI), P Ryan Angel (.278, 3 HR, 19 RBI), RP Greg Shannon (3-0, 1.37), SP Spencer Snodgrass (1-2, 3.58).
