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FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Shortstop Joe Spiers and the Rainbows moved into fifth place in the WAC after sweeping San Jose State on the road.

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Rainbows head into
key series

The Hawaii Rainbows want to extend the positive mood they established on the mainland last week when they play second-place Nevada in a three-game Western Athletic Conference series starting tomorrow at Les Murakami Stadium.

Nevada at Hawaii When: Tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, 6:35 p.m. Where: Les Murakami Stadium TV: All games live, KFVE, Ch. 5 Radio: All games live, KKEA, 1420-AM Tickets: $6 orange and blue sections; $5 red section; $4 seniors, and $3 students age 4-18, UH students in the red section. Parking: $3

Hawaii (21-23 overall, 8-10 WAC) eased up a spot in the standings to fifth place after sweeping San Jose State. The 'Bows are a half-game behind the Fresno State Bulldogs who play at first-place Rice this week.

The Wolf Pack (20-17, 9-6) are a half-game behind Rice.

With just four games separating the top from the bottom in the standings, every game carries extra meaning. Six conference teams are jockeying for a chance to win the league title since no one has yet to break out of the crowd.

The Rainbows are looking up and need to keep winning to advance higher. The Wolf Pack don't want to lose ground before hosting Rice in two weeks. This is an important weekend for both teams.

"All we have to go by is what the Wolf Pack did at their place and they did pretty well," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said.

"We did not match up well against Nevada at their place. Whether that stays the same at our place remains to be seen. They are a formidable offensive club."

Hawaii, with a team earned-run average of 3.96, will go with the same starting rotation. WAC pitcher of the week Stephen Bryant (6-3, 2.78) starts tomorrow. Colby Summer (2-4, 4.82) takes the mound Friday and Justin Costi (1-4, 3.53) gets the start Saturday.

Trapasso credits the Wolf Pack pitchers with knowing how to pitch at Peccole Park, a strategy that should work no matter where a game is played.

"They understand that you have to pitch ahead in the count and you can't walk people. Their place is the worst place to walk people because the next guy can always hit it out," said Trapasso.

The Hawaii coach hopes the Rainbows play the same kind of defense this week they did at San Jose State.

"We played great defense last weekend (no errors). We'll have to do it again because errors killed us in the first two games at Nevada," Trapasso said.

Nevada won the first two games before UH managed a one-run victory in the final game of that April 8-10 series in Reno. Since joining the WAC in 2001, the Wolf Pack have dominated the series with UH 20-7.

The 'Bows returned from the mainland with no new injuries.

Senior outfielder Robbie Wilder, who did not play on the road trip due to a sprained right ankle, should be ready this week.

Greg Kish, who has two broken ribs, is cleared to play.

"Greg has been taking batting practice and looking pretty good," said Trapasso who remains hesitant about when and how to play the senior outfielder because of the nature of the injury.

Note: Bryant was included in the College Baseball Foundation national roll for his winning efforts against Rice and San Jose State last week. This is the second time the senior right-hander has received national honors.