UH revival is a
work in progressTrapasso believes Hawaii
is headed in the right direction
after winning 30 games
Hawaii baseball coach Mike Trapasso used the word "significant" to label the 2003 Rainbow season.
"I think it is significant that we won 30 games and did it without what we thought would be two of our starting pitchers. We finished fourth in the conference when we were picked to finish fifth and we did this with just one recruiting class," he said.
The starters Trapasso referred to were Justin Azze, who was declared ineligible by the NCAA, and Colby Summer, who injured his right arm just before the season started and recently had Tommy John surgery.
"We feel we have turned the program back in the right direction. We look forward to getting our second recruiting class in here and going to work next fall," Trapasso said.
The Rainbows' (30-26) season is easily divided into three parts.
Leading up to the Western Athletic Conference schedule, Hawaii won 13 of its first 18 games. Then, despite winning the Rainbow Easter Tournament against a very average field, the 'Bows slumped to a 5-14 record heading into the away series at Louisiana Tech.
Trapasso met one-on-one with each Rainbow prior to the series with the Bulldogs, and that was when the goal of 30 wins was established. To accomplish that, the team would have to win at least 13 of its final 22 games. The 'Bows did exactly that with a 13-9 finish.
"We won't be doing a dance about being a couple of games over .500 in the future," said Trapasso. "We improved in every area, there is no question about that. But, we never looked at improving over last year, because that was a transition year. This year was just a case of bringing in 22 new players and going to work.
"We looked at it that way from the first day we stepped on campus. This was the first year of the rebuilding process and it was a year our seniors had not experienced before."
Not only did the victory total increase by 14 over 2002, the team batting average went up 22 points to .275 and the earned run average plummeted from 5.66 to 3.93.
What promises to be a longer-running story is the continued development of this year's freshmen, who have already made a positive impression.
"Isaac Omura was the most pleasant surprise because he was consistent from day one, and, in the fall, we didn't think he would be ready," Trapasso said of his freshman second baseman.
"Matt Inouye has to be a pleasant surprise as well. When he got the opportunity, he made it impossible to keep him out of the lineup," said the UH coach of his freshman catcher who demonstrated an above-average knack for playing the outfield.
Omura finished with a .301 batting average, third-best among the regulars. Inouye led the starters with a .339 average and made just one error in 114 chances.
Trapasso was high on his freshman pitchers entering the season and nothing happened during the campaign to change his mind.
"Then you have to look at the freshman pitchers because it's just hard at this level for freshman pitchers to be successful," said Trapasso of Keahi Rawlins, Rich Olsen and Guy McDowell.
"Rich Olsen was the biggest surprise of the three. We thought he might be a year away, but at the alumni game I said, 'Wow, he may be ready now.' At the alumni game you could see he had that look in his eye."
Used primarily in relief, Olsen was 2-2 with a 3.31 ERA and McDowell was 1-0 with a 3.96 ERA. Rawlins, who started 11 of the 16 games he was in, was 5-5 with a 4.27 ERA.
Trapasso will continue to schedule midweek games. He credits those games this year for accelerating the development of his freshmen.
"It's important to play them early in the season. You want to get out there and see what you've got and who is going to carry the load," said Trapasso. "Until there is scoreboard pressure, you don't have complete idea of what you are dealing with."
Notes: Freshmen Tyler Wightman, an infielder/outfielder, and catcher Drew Jackson, who played little this year, have decided not to return to the program next year. ... Right-hander Jason Piepmeier, who was academically ineligible this season, will transfer to a junior college this fall. ... Nonconference opponents on the 2004 schedule include Texas, Cal State Northridge, Florida International, San Francisco, Oregon State, Oklahoma State and Chicago State. ... The idea of a postseason WAC tournament is dead for the foreseeable future. At a meeting last month, the league's competition committee refused to even vote on whether to send a proposal for a tournament to the league presidents for their consideration.
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3 Rainbows named
to All-WAC teams
The Hawaii Rainbows had three players named to the 2003 All-Western Athletic Conference baseball team yesterday.
The league champion Rice Owls had nine players named to the first team. Nevada placed three, Fresno State two, and San Jose State and Hawaii one each.
Brent Cook, who played the outfield and third base, was a first-team selection as the utility player. The senior had a .288 batting average and led the team in runs scored (41), triples (four), walks (38) and stolen bases (14).
"I'm surprised. It's a pretty nice honor. What a way to end my senior year," said Cook. "It definitely says a lot about what kind of season our team had this year. It's been an exciting year all around for the program."
Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said, "I'm very happy that Brent Cook is on the first team. What a way to cap a short, but great career here. It's no surprise to us and it's no secret that he was our MVP."
Left fielder Jaziel Mendoza, a junior, and senior right-hander Chris George were named to the second team.
Mendoza came on strong in the second half of the season after recovering from a leg injury. He finished as the Rainbows' second-leading hitter with a .337 batting average.
George topped the pitching staff with eight victories, strikeouts (89) and innings pitched (95 2/3).
"It's no coincidence that when Jaziel was out of the lineup we struggled, and when he came back we started playing well," said Trapasso. "He only played the second half of the WAC season, which tells you what kind of impact Jaziel had. It's much the same with Chris. When he pitched well, we won. When he didn't, we struggled."
The league's head coaches made the selections and considered only statistics from conference games.
Kevin Kouzmanoff, Nevada's senior third baseman, was named WAC Player of the Year.
Jeff Niemann, a sophomore right-hander from Rice, was honored as the WAC Pitcher of the Year.
WAC Freshman of the Year accolades went to Nevada catcher Brett Hayes.
Gary Power of Nevada and Wayne Graham of Rice were named WAC Co-Coaches of the Year.
