RAINBOW BASEBALL PLAYBOOK
vs. Nevada Wolf Pack
First pitch -- Tomorrow and Friday, 6:35 p.m.; Saturday 1:05 p.m., Rainbow Stadium.
Coaches -- Hawaii: Carl Furutani, first season (5-4, .556); Nevada: Gary Powers, 19th season (562-412-4, .577).
Season -- Hawaii (5-4 overall, 0-0 WAC); Nevada (2-7 overall, 1-2 WAC).
Series -- Hawaii leads, 4-0. Last meeting -- Hawaii swept a pair of doubleheaders in 1981.
Probable starting pitchers -- Hawaii: Right-hander Jeff Coleman (Jr., 0-1 record, 3.31 earned run average); right-hander Sean Yamashita (Jr., 0-1, 9.39); right-hander Chad Giannetti (So., 3.75). Nevada: Left-hander Jason Mackintosh (Jr., 1-1, 8.16); right-hander Darrell Rasner (So., 0-2, 5.63); right-hander Mateo Miramontes (Fr., 1-1, 4.02).
Top position players -- Hawaii: Left fielder Chad Boudon (Fr., .427 batting average, 3 home runs, 9 runs batted in); third baseman Patrick Scalabrini (Sr., .351, 1 HR, 5 RBIs); second baseman Gregg Omori (Jr., .324, 1 HR, 8 RBIs); right-fielder Tim Montgomery (Fr., .294). Nevada: First baseman JaRell McIntyre (Jr., .361, 2 HR); designated hitter Bo Bryant (Sr., .360, 2 HR); center fielder Michael Hass (Fr., .346).
Keys -- The Wolf Pack will try to rebound from the disappointment of two ninth-inning losses to Hawaii-Hilo last week. ... The Rainbows want to repeat their performance of a year ago when they sprinted out of the WAC starting gate. ... Both teams rely on several young players. Their confidence will be a key as the season progresses.
Also of note -- UH right-hander Jeff Coleman has held opponents to a team-low .229 batting average, yet the junior college transfer is still looking for his first victory.as a Rainbow. ... Center fielder Derek Honma is questionable for the series after straining his right shoulder diving into the Louisville catcher. Right-hander Grant Sato also is questionable with soreness in his throwing arm. ... Outfielder Scooter Martines is out, still recovering from off-season surgery on his left shoulder.
On the air -- Updates tomorrow and live Friday and Saturday on KCCN (1420 AM); live Friday and Saturday on KFVE (Channel 5)
RealAudio: 'Net broadcast Click Here
Tickets -- $6 orange and blue sections, $5 red section. $4 senior citizens (65 and over), students 4-18 and UH students with valid ID. Available at the Stan Sheriff Center, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Rainbow Stadium box office opens one hour prior to all games. Parking: $3.
Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
RAINBOW BASKETBALL PLAYBOOK
vs. Southern Methodist
Tip-off --7:05 p.m. tomorrow, Stan Sheriff Center.
Coaches -- Southern Methodist: Mike Dement, 6th season at SMU (96-72); 15th overall (218-95). Hawaii: Riley Wallace, 14th season at UH (209-196); 16th major-college (224-223).
Season -- Southern Methodist: 18-6 overall, 8-3 WAC (2nd place). Hawaii: 10-12 overall, 4-7 WAC (7th place).
Series -- Tied at three wins each. In the most recent meeting, the Mustangs beat the Rainbows, 69-56, in Dallas on Jan. 6. Hawaii knocked SMU out of the WAC playoffs last year, winning, 87-82, in a quarterfinal game as Troy Ostler scored 22 points and corralled 13 rebounds.
Southern Methodist starters -- G Damon Hancock (6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Jr., 17.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg); G Jeryl Sasser (6-6, 200, Sr., 17.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 4.4 apg); G/F Willie Davis (6-6, 230, Sr., 12.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg); G Quinton Ross (6-6, 185, So., 13.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg); F Jibran Kelley (6-8, 225, So., 3.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg).
Hawaii starters -- F Nerijus Puida (6-5, 195, Sr., 8.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg, 4.7 apg.); Post Troy Ostler (6-10, 220, Sr., 16.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.9 bpg.); Post Phil Martin (6-7, 198, Fr., 9.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg); G Jeep Hilton (5-11, 145, Fr., 2.4 ppg, 2.8 apg); G Predrag Savovic (6-6, 225, Jr., 17.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg).
Game keys -- The Mustangs have perhaps the most talented all-around player in the conference in Sasser. But if the Rainbows pay too much attention to him, Hancock, Davis and Ross can all hurt a defense, too. SMU has the edge in almost all statistical categories. ... The Rainbows have a slight height advantage, but the Mustangs make up for it with quickness and athleticism. Despite the lack of a true starting center, SMU leads the WAC in rebounding and owns a plus-5.6 rebounding margin compared to minus-1.2 for the Rainbows. ... Hawaii's best advantage is the Stan Sheriff Center, where it is 10-5 this season. SMU is 2-3 on the road in the WAC. ... The Mustangs have won four consecutive games and are second in the conference standings, 1 games behind Fresno State.
Also of note -- This game marks the long-awaited regular-season debut of Hawaii center Haim Shimonovich, as the freshman from Israel has completed a 22-game NCAA imposed suspension. Shimonovich was suspended because he played in a professional league in his home country before joining the Rainbows. Wallace has gradually worked the 6-10, 245-pound center into more rotations with the regulars in practice recently. ... Hawaii played a decent second half at SMU, but Wallace said that would have no bearing on tomorrow's game, considering it was five weeks ago. ... The Rainbows, with five more conference games, must make a strong stretch run to avoid playing an extra game in the WAC Tournament next month. The eighth- and ninth-place teams "play-in" to a quarterfinal game against the league regular-season champion.
On the air--Radio: Rainbow Sports Radio (KCCN 1420 AM) live. Television: KFVE (Channel 5) live.
RealAudio: 'Net broadcast Click Here
Tickets--$14 all lower level, $10 upper (adult), $8 student section, $7 upper (student). Available at Stan Sheriff Center box office.
Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin
