Hawaii baseball coach Mike Trapasso has preached all season about how important it is for the Rainbows to win the first game of a series. Trapasso wants to
get off to a good startBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.com
The result can easily set the tone for the remainder of the series and definitely has a significant bearing on the 'Bows' pitching plans for games two and three. If tonight's starter, right-hander Chris George, gives UH seven or more solid innings, that allows Trapasso to save potential starters for tomorrow and Sunday.
Who: Nevada at HawaiiWhen: Today, 5:35 p.m., tomorrow, 6:35 p.m., Sunday,1:05 p.m.
Where: Murakami Stadium
TV: Sunday live, KFVE (Channel 5).
Radio: Live, KKEA (1420-AM).
Tickets: $6 Orange, Blue levels. $5 Red level. $4 Seniors, children age 4-18, UH students in the Red level.
Parking: $3
If the Rainbows are to strike early in the three-game, Western Athletic Conference series against Nevada, then the pitching staff has to throw strikes, especially with the offspeed and breaking pitches.
"We've become one-pitch pitchers, getting ahead of guys in the count and thinking strikeout rather than trying to force contact and let the defense work," said Trapasso. "This happens when guys get knocked around a bit and they start to pitch on the defensive. You don't have to have a great breaking ball, but if you force contact you get ground balls. We have to get back to basics."
The UH pitchers have discovered that accomplished batters who are patient will take the breaking ball in the dirt. This has caused pitch counts to climb and that is not what the UH coaches want to see. A lot of this started with the Rice series and the Owls will make other teams have similar problems.
"I told the players after the Rice series we have 35 more games and 32 of them are against someone other than Rice," said Trapasso.
The Rainbows (14-9, 1-5 WAC) and Wolf Pack (9-13, 1-2 WAC) will be trying to get on track in conference play. Mateo Miramontes starts on the mound tonight and the 6-foot-4 junior right-hander has enjoyed much success against the 'Bows in his first two years at Nevada.
"When Miramontes pitched against us here, that was probably the best game anyone threw at us last year," said Trapasso. "And, he is coming off a great game last weekend."
Miramontes pitched a complete game against San Jose State, allowing one run and two hits while fanning seven.
"If we are going to have a chance to get back in the WAC race, then we have to play each game as it comes. That's why I'm considering Rich Olsen, Keahi Rawlins, Justin Cayetano and Ricky Bauer as starters for tomorrow and Sunday, but it all starts with Chris George," said Trapasso.
"We have to worry about ourselves and whether we are executing on offense or on the mound, rather than who we are playing. I'm happy with the offense. We have to get our leadoff man on and let the bunting game and situational hitting game speak for us. We've done a good job with that."
The opposite is true for the UH pitchers, who have to do a better job of keeping opposing leadoff batters off base. The key is command of their pitches, something that has not been as good lately as it was earlier in the season. Trapasso says the cure is getting back to basics.
HAWAII (14-9, 1-5) Probable starting pitchers
W-L ERA K RHP Chris George (Sr.) 4-2 4.19 36 TBD TBD NEVADA (9-13, 1-2)
W-L ERA K RHP Mateo Miramontes (Jr.) 3-1 3.83 36 RHP JT Sherman (Jr.) 2-3 6.07 23 RHP Eddie Bonnie (Sr.) 1-4 4.50 29 Notes: The Wolf Pack holds a 9-7 lead in the all-time series, is 9-3 in WAC games vs. the Rainbows and won five of six conference games a year ago. ... The Rainbows and Wolf Pack were picked to finish tied for fourth int he WAC coaches preseason poll. ... Nevada opened league play at San Jose State, winning the first game, 5-2, then losing the next two, 4-3 in 11 innings and 4-2. ... Miramontes turned in a rare double-double last week by being named WAC Player and Pitcher of the Week after pitching a complete game against San Jose State and facing just 28 batters.
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