[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
’Bows aiming for
NCAA bubbleWinning six of seven road games
may not be realistic, but it is
‘possible,’ coach says
The numbers do not favor the Hawaii Rainbow baseball team at all, but they are not impossible to overcome.
Hawaii has seven regular-season games left on its schedule. They all are on the road, starting tomorrow with a three-game Western Athletic Conference series at Nevada.
The Wolf Pack joined the WAC in 2001 and have never felt the sting of defeat in nine games with UH at Peccole Park. The Rainbows (29-19, 12-11) may be hoping the law of averages kicks in on this visit.
The 'Bows' goal at the start of the season was to win 35 games and become a bubble team in the NCAA Tournament selection process. After two losses to Fresno State last weekend and a rainout, Hawaii needs to win six games to reach that goal. That is definitely a challenge.
"I don't know how realistic it is, but it is possible. We have been on streaks like that before, but not on the road and not against a team like Nevada," said Rainbow coach Mike Trapasso.
Hawaii is a .500 (5-5 overall, 4-5 WAC) team away from Murakami Stadium this season. Fresno State is willing to make up the rained-out game if it is meaningful for the Rainbows, but that won't happen unless UH can win at least two games in Reno.
"I told our players to just go out and play each game one at a time, have fun and we'll see what happens. We can still meet our goals and possibly get into the tournament, but we have to play well at Nevada," said Trapasso.
"It has to start with pitching, We can't get into a slugfest. Pitching has been our strength all year and our club is not built to win a slugfest."
Ricky Bauer (8-3, 3.30 ERA) will pitch the opener, The junior right-hander threw nine shutout innings at the Wolf Pack in the first game at Murakami Stadium, won by UH 1-0 in the 10th.
Stephen Bryant (7-4, 3.22), who picked up the victory in the second game with six innings of work, starts Saturday. Sunday starter Clary Carlsen (6-6, 4.31) took the loss in the series finale here.
Whoever is on the mound for UH will have to keep his pitches down. That was not the case too many times last week. Fresno State batters pounded out 28 hits in two games. Peccole Park is 4,000-plus feet above sea level, the air is usually dry and baseballs travel great distances with ease.
The Wolf Pack (28-25, 12-12) have belted 68 homers to the Rainbows' 22.
In the nine previous games at Nevada, the Rainbows have been outscored 96-45, with the Wolf Pack scoring in double figures in seven of those wins. UH reached double figures once and still lost.
Notes: The Rice Owls won their eighth consecutive WAC baseball title by sweeping Nevada last weekend in Houston. ... Nevada leads the series with UH 16-8. ... Brian Finegan and Matt Inouye lead the 'Bows with 16 multiple-hit games. Finegan has the most three-hit games (6). Inouye has the most multiple-RBI games with 12.