[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
Hawaii junior Greg Kish yesterday was named a first-team Western Athletic Conference outfielder.
’Bows showed
improvement in 2004UH won 31 games and had
a shot at reaching the playoffs
going into the final road trip
The 2004 Hawaii baseball season will be remembered as one that showed continued improvement in the program, but one that fell short of the 35-victory goal.
The 'Bows won 31 games, one better than in 2003, and increased their Western Athletic Conference victory total by two over a year ago to 13.
They went on the final road trip of the season with an opportunity to finish second in the league and perhaps receive consideration for postseason play. Those possibilities disappeared with five losses in the last seven games.
"I think we will look at the last couple weeks more than the season as a whole," said Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso, who was named WAC Coach of the Year yesterday. "In time we will look at the season as a whole and feel we improved, had a successful season.
"We put ourselves in a position to have a shot at the postseason. I feel bad for the kids for the way they battled through the adversity with injuries all year. I came to admire that. With a five-man pitching staff in league it was bound to catch up to us and it did in the end."
Hawaii lost potential No. 1 starter Mark Rodrigues a week before the season started. Other starters who missed several games with injuries were center fielder Robbie Wilder (shoulder, broken nose), outfielder Greg Kish (ankle), catcher Creighton Kahoali'i (knee), and right-hand pitchers Stephen Bryant (back), Rich Olsen (tendinitis in right elbow) and Darrell Fisherbaugh (sore right shoulder).
"Although the Rice series was a great weekend for us, a single weekend highlight, I came away with a very ominous feeling because I knew Creighton's injury was the one injury we could not afford," Trapasso said. "We never recovered from that. We didn't play well after that."
Trapasso said he thought the Rainbows improved in all phases of the game this year.
The pitching staff's earned-run average was in the top 20 until the last three weeks of the season. The starting rotation turned in consistent performances much of the year.
"We were really throwing well for 85 percent of the season," Trapasso said. "It was because we didn't walk people, threw our off-speed for strikes and had fastball command.
"This was not a staff of power arms but a staff of pitchers. In league, it was all about the starters giving us seven innings and (Guy) McDowell and Fisherbaugh finishing up in all but two series."
The WAC coaches recognized the UH staff's effectiveness by selecting right-hander Ricky Bauer to the first team and putting right-handers Bryant and Fisherbaugh on the second team.
The team batting average increased to .287, up 12 points from a year ago, and the 'Bows displayed more long-ball power on the road. More patience at the plate and a better understanding of the strike zone resulted in more walks and fewer strikeouts.
Five regulars -- Kish, who was picked to the all-WAC first team yesterday, Brian Finegan, Matt Inouye, Isaac Omura and Andrew Sansaver -- hit over .300. Finegan enjoyed the biggest improvement, going from .280 (in 2003) to .339, despite leading off most of the year.
"Brian was forced into being our lead-off hitter (when Wilder was hurt)," Trapasso said. "He hates hitting first, but he dealt with it well. He asked if he could swing at the first pitch in our last game. We gave him the OK and, sure enough, he singles."
Trapasso says he is amazed at what Finegan's middle infielder partner, second baseman Omura, accomplished.
"Isaac does not have tremendous range, but it is incomprehensible to go all season without an error," Trapasso said. "He is one reason we were a very good defensive club."
Omura, named to the all-WAC second team yesterday, handled 200 chances (88 putouts, 112 assists) in the field without a miscue.
"The guys pushed the program to a higher level this year," Trapasso said. "You have to raise the bar every year. Our goal is to be a club that wins 40 games every year and goes to the regionals."
THE NEEDS for 2005 include replacing Finegan at shortstop, Sansaver -- a second team all-WAC pick -- at first base, and outfielders Jaziel Mendoza and Josh Green, as well as having more catchers in camp. And pitching is always a need.
"We need more depth on the mound, depth with some maturity, which is why we are bringing in some JC arms," Trapasso said. "We will have more players, so we get closer to creating competition at each position. This is our third recruiting cycle and it is not about adding bodies, but adding players."
Hawaii announced the signing of three more players yesterday, bringing the total signed for 2005 to 22.
Right-handed pitchers Justin Costi of Northeast Oklahoma A&M and Larry Ellenbrook of Southern Nevada, and outfielderfirst baseman Andrew LeFave of Edmonds Community College join the team this fall.
Costi was 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA and fanned 62 in 75 1/3 innings. Ellenbrook was 10-2 with a 2.19 ERA in 15 games. LeFave was leading the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges with a .442 batting average.
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Overall Awards
Player of the Year: Richie Robnett, Fresno St., soph.
Pitcher of the Year: Wade Townsend, Rice, jr.
Freshman of the Year: Josh Rodriguez, Rice, 2B
Coach of the Year: Mike Trapasso, Hawaii
First Team
Catcher: Brett Hayes, Nevada, soph.
First base: Kyle Spangler, Louisiana Tech, sr.
Second base: Ryan Haag, Fresno St., senior
Shortstop: Paul Janish, Rice, jr.
Third base: Christian Vitters, Fresno St., frosh.
Outfield: Richie Robnett, Fresno St., soph.; Greg Kish, Hawaii, jr.; Jacob Butler, Nevada, jr.; Chris Kolkhorst, Rice, sr.
Designated hitter: David Gomez, Fresno St., jr.
Utility: Kevin Frandsen, San Jose St., sr.
Starting pitcher: Ricky Bauer, Hawaii, jr; Philip Humber, Rice, jr.; Wade Townsend, Rice, jr.
Relief pitcher: Brad Kilby, San Jose St., jr.
Second Team
Catcher: Brandon Marcelli, Fresno St., sr.
First base: Andrew Sansaver, Hawaii, sr.
Second base: Isaac Omura, Hawaii, soph.
Shortstop: Chris Patrick, Fresno St., sr.
Third base: Joe Mercer, Nevada, sr.
Outfield: Nick Moresi, Fresno St., frosh.; Jeff Walker, Louisiana Tech, sr.; Chris Gimenez, Nevada, jr.; Lance Pendleton, Rice, soph.
Utility: Adam Rodgers, Rice, jr.
Starting pitcher: Matt Garza, Fresno St., soph.; Stephen Bryant, Hawaii, jr.; Travis Sutton, Nevada, soph.
Relief pitcher: Darrell Fisherbaugh, Hawaii, frosh.
