Rainbows hope for strong finish

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

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What: Collegiate baseball Who: Hawai'i-Hilo (8-29) vs. Hawai'i-Manoa (19-19) When: 6:35 tonight Where: Les Murakami Stadium Parking: $3 Tickets: $6 blue and orange levels; $5 red level (adults); $4 red level (65 and older, students K-12 and UH students with IDs). Radio/TV: KKEA AM 1420 and K-5. Series history: UHM leads series 97-19; UHM won last meeting, 18-2, on March 2. Probable starters: UHH right-hander Daniel Lockett (1-4, 6.86) vs. UHM right-hander Keahi Rawlins (2-2, 2.72).

After an 11-3 start, the Rainbows (19-19) thought maybe they could finish better than their preseason goal of .500. But they have since won eight of their past 24. They have 18 games left — 10 at home — to accomplish their goal or better it.

"We just have to try to win 2-of-3 in every series," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "How realistic is that? It should be realistic. We're not playing Rice anymore. We have a chance to win every series if we play up to our capability."

It all begins tonight when the Rainbows play UH-Hilo (8-29) for the fourth time this season. Game time is 6:35 at Les Murakami Stadium.

Freshman right-hander Keahi Rawlins (2-2) will start for Manoa. He will pitch no more than three innings, Trapasso said. That will allow Rawlins enough rest to make a start Sunday against Fresno State. It will be Rawlins' first weekend start of the season after making five mid-week starts. He has gone six innings in each of his previous two starts, getting wins against Western Illinois in the Easter Tournament and at Centenary last week.

In fact, the Western Athletic Conference series with Fresno State will be the first time in a while that Trapasso has set his rotation this early. Ricky Bauer is slated to start Friday and Chris George Saturday.

George is coming off his strongest outing of the season, a complete-game four-hitter with 12 strikeouts in beating Louisiana Tech, 4-1, on Saturday. His performance lowered the team's earned-run average to 3.99, second-best in the WAC to Rice's 2.22.

The Rainbows will welcome back Jaziel Mendoza, who has been out with a stress fracture in his foot. He also had a calf problem to start the season, so he has been limited to 10 games. Trapasso said Mendoza will play either the outfield or designated hitter tonight. He was hitting .281 with three doubles before his injury.

But uncertain is freshman outfielder/catcher Matt Inouye, the team's leading hitter (.358) among regulars. Inouye, who has an ailing back that has affected his throwing, was the DH on Saturday. He could be held out tonight to save him for the weekend series, Trapasso said.

The Rainbows have beaten the Vulcans in the previous three meetings this season, 8-2, 9-2 and 18-2.

The Vulcans have not played since March 25, when they beat Western Illinois, 2-1. They won 3-of-5 in the series against the Leathernecks, who played in the Rainbow Easter Tournament.

Right-hander Daniel Lockett (1-4) is scheduled to pitch for the Vulcans tonight. Lockett started the Feb. 11 game against the Rainbows.