By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
The first leg of the University of Hawai‘i’s baseball road trip begins today with a non-conference game at Sacramento State.
First pitch is noon Hawai‘i time. It will be broadcast live on KCCN AM 1420.
The game is primarily a tune-up for the Western Athletic Conference series at Fresno State Saturday through Monday and at San Jose State March 1-3.
The Rainbows (7-5, 2-1 WAC) are tied for second with Fresno State (7-5, 2-1) in the conference, one game behind Texas Christian (8-5, 3-0 ).
The Rainbows did the same thing last year, playing the Hornets before visiting the same two teams. After beating the Hornets, the Rainbows won two of three from Fresno State, but lost two of three to San Jose State.
Last month, the Rainbows took two of three from the Hornets at Rainbow Stadium.
Hawai‘i will use all three starters — Jeff Coleman (1-1, 3.09 ERA), Sean Yamashita (0-1, 6.23) and Chad Giannetti (1-1, 4.76) — as well as the relievers against the Hornets, UH coach Carl Furutani said.
The Rainbows will revert to their regular rotation for the conference games.
First baseman Danny Kimura made the traveling squad, but is day-to-day with a hamstring injury he sustained in Friday’s game against Nevada.
The Hornets (6-6) had a game against Santa Clara yesterday postponed because of rain.
UH-HILO
The Vulcans (3-11, 2-4 WAC) were just swept by Texas Christian and it does not get any easier as they open a three-game series against nationally ranked Rice.
The Owls (10-1, 0-0) are No. 1 in Collegiate Baseball’s poll and No. 6 in Baseball America’s rankings. A poll of coaches predicted Rice to win the WAC.
The Vulcans are expected to face preseason All-American Kenny Baugh (1-0, 1.04 ERA), who was named the WAC Pitcher of the Week on Monday.
Baugh struck out a career-high 14 batters in a 5-1 win over No. 16 Central Florida on Sunday. It was his first complete game in four starts this season. Baugh has 33 strikeouts in 26 innings.
HAWAI‘I PACIFIC
After a month since their last game, the Sea Warriors (4-4) return to action against George Fox (0-4), an NCAA Division III independent from Newberg, Ore.
The four-game series starts tomorrow at Hans L’Orange Park in Waipahu. Single games are at 7 p.m. tomorrow and Friday, with a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday.
To keep his players sharp, coach Allan Sato held intrasquad scrimmages and conducted competitive drills. Batting practice consisted of hitting in pitch-count situations.
"Besides (missing) live pitching, what you would lose (being idle so long) is the competitive edge," Sato said.
Since their last series, the Sea Warriors lost second baseman Jon Ozeretny. Sato said Ozeretny transferred to Cal State-Northridge. Sato said the timing was unusual because Ozeretny cannot immediately play for Northridge. Ozeretny was leading the Sea Warriors in hitting at .529 (9-for-17).
Wade Taguchi (.273) will play second and be backed up Ikaika DuPont.
The Bruins list one player from Hawai‘i, catcher Bryce Anderson of Makawao, Maui, a Seabury Hall graduate.
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