Thursday, February 19, 1998
Base’Bows still
By Al Chase
putting pieces together
Star-BulletinThe pieces of the Rainbow picture are slowly falling into place for the No. 21 University of Hawaii baseball team. UH skipper Les Murakami is comfortable with his best defensive players, which he says counts a lot.
"We have more depth with the position players than we've had in several seasons," Murakami said.
The offense has been solid, although Murakami pointed out to the 'Bows there are different kinds of .300 hitters. There is the soft .300 hitter who gets his hits in blowouts or with two outs and no men on base. Then there is the clutch .300 hitter who drives in runs with two outs and men on base or starts a rally.
There are still question marks with the pitching staff as the Rainbows (13-3) enter a three-game series with the Loyola Marymount University Lions.
LMU (6-5-1 following a 10-4 loss to UCLA yesterday) is off to its best start since the 1990 season.
Murakami wanted to send five-game starter Randon Ho to the bullpen this week in hopes the sophomore left-hander could develop better control (20 walks in 271/3 innings). That plan is on hold because junior left-hander Troy Yoshimasu is battling the flu.
"Some people who get this flu seem to have vertigo. Troy has vertigo and you can't put a guy on the mound with vertigo," Murakami said.
This weekend's starting rotation will be Ho, sophomore left-hander Dusty Bergman and freshman right-hander Patrick McNair, who pitched eight good innings in his first start against Florida State last Saturday.
"I told the kids I want five starters. That makes for great competition," Murakami said. "If we have five starters, we'll be all right."
A possibility for the fifth starting position is freshman right-hander Gavin Garrick, but the 6-foot-2, 183-pounder isn't quite ready yet. And, as was the case with McNair, Murakami will not use Garrick, except for an inning here and there, until he is ready.
"We want them to be successful when we bring them in," Murakami said.
"Right now we don't have an ace (someone you know will get a victory) and we don't have a great stopper (someone who throws in the high 80s or low 90s).
"Our bullpen is by committee. And that's not taking anything away from Kamuela Binkie, Ian Jones or Ikaika Baptista because they throw strikes."
The Lions are hitting .358 but their pitching staff sports a 9.26 earned run average.
Top Loyola Marymount hitters are left fielder Matt Riordan (.477, 18 RBIs), second baseman Anthony Angel (.459), right fielder Robert Hirsh (.423) and shortstop Kevin Hook (.417, 15 RBIs).
The Lions with Hawaii connections include senior shortstop Chad Ohira (Pearl City High School), freshman outfielder Scott LaFountaine (Punahou) and assistant coach David "Boy" Eldredge, former Hawaii Pacific University head coach.
Rainbow baseball
Loyola Marymount vs. Hawaii: Tomorrow, 6:05 p.m.
Rainbow Men Baseball Schedule
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
