It's all about W's for UH's Wright

The junior righty is going to be drafted next week, but the main thing for him now is beating Kansas

CORVALLIS, Ore. » Steven Wright is Hawaii's top starting pitcher. Every week he is matched up against the opponent's No. 1 hurler.

Does that concern Wright? Not at all.

"I don't face their pitcher. I face their team. That's my job," Wright said. "It's our hitters who face their No. 1 and it's their job to beat him."

NCAA TOURNAMENT Oregon State regional Who: Hawaii vs. Kansas When: Friday, 9 a.m. Hawaii time TV: None Radio: KKEA 1420-AM

That approach has worked well for Wright and the Rainbows this season.

The junior right-hander is 11-2 with a sparkling 2.30 earned-run average. In 109 2/3 innings he has struck out 123 and walked just 19. He starts Friday's NCAA Regional game against Kansas with 16 consecutive shutout innings, during which he has allowed just eight hits. Wright has given up just one earned run in the last 23 innings.

The one statistic Wright cares about is the Ws.

"Stats don't mean anything except wins. The more you win the better the chances of going further in the postseason," Wright said.

He picked UH over Arizona State and Oklahoma State because of the Rainbows' scholarship offer and the opportunity to play as a freshman. After signing his letter of intent, Wright promised UH coach Mike Trapasso he would qualify. He took the SAT three times to keep that promise.

Wright was then drafted by the San Diego Padres, who made him an offer, but not one good enough for him to forego a college education.

He started seven games and relieved in 11 his freshman year, but worked primarily out of the bullpen last year. Wright also changed his thinking and some of his habits prior to his sophomore year.

"I concentrated on being more healthy. To be able to perform at a high caliber every time ... ," said Wright, who basically switched to a more healthy diet and spent more time conditioning.

"Sometimes it is hard on the road, but I try the best I can. It helped a lot being with the Odas," he said.

Wright met Bob and Tara Oda through fellow freshman Matt Buck, who left the program after one season.

"I was the tag-along roommate then," Wright said.

"My sophomore year, I would go to the Odas' on the weekends to get away from dorm life and do my studying.

"This year I called and asked them if I could rent a room and they were ecstatic, that was definitely a blessing."

With his life off the field in order and with the daily support of his "Hawaii parents," Wright could concentrate on school and take a straight-forward approach to pitching.

"I am not superstitious. I just throw a bullpen on Tuesday, make sure I get my running in, get stretched out each day and make sure I'm ready. I'm playing this game for fun," he said.

With the exception of the league opener against Louisiana Tech and the first game against San Jose State at home, Wright has performed consistently well all season.

When asked what caused that two-game glitch, Wright just shrugged, but said, "I guess I was leaving the ball up too much. I was too tentative instead of being aggressive."

Wright has four semesters left to earn his degree in sociology. He won't talk about next week's Major League Baseball first-year-player draft, but it is no secret he will be chosen. There will be an offer from the team that picks him, and he and his family will have to decide if it is time to turn pro. If he does, he has made multiple promises.

"I made a promise to my parents (Nancy and Bob) and to my grandpa (Robert Robb) and to Tara and Bob that I eventually will finish school," Wright said. "Baseball does not last forever, education does."