[ HPU BASEBALL ]
Sea Warriors stack
schedule in hopes of
swaying regional committee
The Hawaii Pacific baseball team will tackle a 56-game schedule in 2004 that features 40 at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu.
This is the first time HPU coach Allan Sato has been able to schedule the maximum number of games allowed by the NCAA.
"This is the toughest schedule we've ever had," said Sato "Tampa is the national championship tournament runner-up and always has a great team."
The NCAA Division II Sea Warriors also have two midweek games, Feb. 17 and March 13, against the Hawaii Rainbows at Murakami Stadium and a 10-game road trip to California in April.
HPU opens with two, seven-inning doubleheaders against the Division I Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
An independent, the Sea Warriors' goal each season is to compile a record that warrants an invitation to the NCAA D-II West Regional, usually limited to the top-four teams in the region.
"We play several of the California schools that are in the West Region rankings. The only thing we can come to the table with is enough power rating points and enough wins for the selection committee to consider us," said Sato who is entering his ninth season at the helm.
"Some of the California schools are gracious enough to come here on a regular basis and we always try to schedule games with several D-II schools in one area when we make our California trip."
The Sea Warriors power rating would benefit if they can pick up some victories in the 10 games they have against the D-I Rainbows and Vulcans.
Sato's assistants this year are Mark Rasmussen and Gary Nakano, volunteer assistant Blaine Muraoka and graduate assistant Shay Hirota.
2004 Schedule
January
31: at Hawaii-Hilo (2), noon.
February
1: at Hawaii-Hilo (2), 11 a.m. 5: Sonoma State (2), 4 p.m. 6: Sonoma State (2), 4 p.m. 7: Sonoma State (2), 4 p.m. 17: at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m.
March
6: Tampa (2), 4 p.m. 7: Tampa (2), 4 p.m. 9: Tampa (2), 4 p.m. 13: at Hawaii, 6:35 p.m. 15: Presbyterian, 4 p.m. 16: Presbyterian, 4 p.m. 17: Presbyterian (2), 4 p.m. 19: Cal State Dominguez Hills (2), 4 p.m. 20: Cal State Dominguez Hills (2), 4 p.m. 21: Cal State Dominguez Hills (2), 4 p.m. 23: Cal State Dominguez Hills, 7 p.m. 26: at Cal Poly Pomona (2). 27: at Cal Poly Pomona (2). 30: at Cal State Dominguez Hills. 31: at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
April
1: at Cal State San Bernardino. 2: at Cal State San Bernardino. 3: at Cal State San Bernardino (2). 10: Biola (2), 4 p.m. 12: Biola (2), 4 p.m. 14: Biola, noon. 17: Chico State (2), 4 p.m. 18: Chico State (2), 4 p.m. 19: Chico State, noon. 24: Hawaii-Hilo (2), 4 p.m. 25: Hawaii-Hilo (2), noon.Home games at Hans L'Orange Park.