[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Clary Carlsen will likely start Saturday or Sunday against Florida International.
Hawaii takes on
Golden PanthersThe 'Bows look to turn around a
1-5 start during a three-game series
with FIU
The Hawaii baseball team, facing a challenge from coach Mike Trapasso to be tougher and compete in every game, plays a three-game series with Florida International this weekend.
The Golden Panthers have lost four of their first five games, but coach Danny Price's teams have averaged 40 wins a season for the past 10 years.
Florida International had its streak of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances broken last year when it finished 36-23.
"It looks like they have had a start similar to us, yet they always have a very good club and they are used to having good years," said Trapasso, who went head to head with FIU when he was an assistant at South Florida.
The Rainbows are off to a 1-5 start, and the mood at Les Murakami Stadium from the coaches on down is somewhere between not happy at all and grim.
After winning their first game of the season Saturday, the Rainbows performance Sunday was totally unacceptable to Trapasso.
"You can live with not winning, but not with not competing. I don't know if they thought they were over the hump because they won Saturday, but we just threw our gloves on the field Sunday. That shows a lack of maturity, a lack of toughness and that is going to change," Trapasso said.
"We have to compete. When we compete, we have won or had a chance to win. When we don't compete, the games haven't been close."
Actually last Sunday's 8-1 loss to Cal State Northridge was the second consecutive week the 'Bows were flat on Sunday.
They were beaten by Texas 10-1 after battling the Longhorns for 11 innings the night before.
The totals for the two Sunday games are two runs and eight hits. The 'Bows also made nine of their 14 errors this season in those two games.
"We talk about being tough. We walk around like we are tough, but when the red light goes on we don't demonstrate toughness," Trapasso said.
"We have guys who were convinced we would get out of the gate strong. Now they are shell-shocked because we've had some adversity. We're only good about talking about how good we are and reading about how good we are."
Trapasso said Creighton Kahoali'i will stay at third base for the time being. The senior transfer from California, who played shortstop in high school, was one Rainbow who swung the bat well and drove the ball last weekend.
In two games at the hot corner, Kahoali'i went 3-for-6 with two doubles and four runs batted in.
The UH coach also plans to play Greg Kish more, either in the outfield or as the designated hitter. Trapasso also hopes Isaac Omura can return to second base.
"Isaac is down on himself," Trapasso said.
"He is his own worst critic, and when he's in a funk he has to sit."
