If it weren't for that injury, Clary Carlsen wouldn't be basking in the Hawai'i sunshine. Instead, he would be bundled up in freezing Moscow, Idaho, and UH would be without its most versatile pitcher.

After earning all-league accolades at North Kitsap High in Poulsbo, Wash., Carlsen signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Idaho. The injury occurred during the state football playoffs, but Carlsen did not realize his sternum was cracked until later in his senior year. That forced him to shelve the shoulder pads and helmet.

"At that point, it was baseball season (in high school) and I realized I didn't want to give up baseball," Carlsen said.

So he went to Edmonds (Wash.) College, where he was primarily a starting pitcher for two seasons. Washington, North Carolina State, Nevada, New Mexico State and Oregon State showed interest, but UH was the first to make an offer.

"It sounded good, so I just jumped at it," he said.

Carlsen spent his first season with UH solely as a relief pitcher. He was 4-3 with a team-leading five saves and 2.08 ERA last season. Although he was a starter in junior college, he said he enjoyed pitching out of the bullpen.

"The starters we had were better than I was at the time," said the 6-foot-1, 202-pound right-hander. "They deserved the starts they had. I was happy to do that job (of relief)."

This season, he has a dual role as closer and starter. If he closes a Friday game and is not needed on Saturday, he probably starts Sunday. Last weekend, in UH's sweep of Florida International, Carlsen was not needed in relief for the Friday and Saturday games, so he made his second start of the season on Sunday. He allowed three runs, one unearned, on six hits and two walks over seven innings for his first win of the season.

The previous week against Cal State Northridge, Carlsen pitched well enough to win on most occasions. He allowed four runs in seven innings, but two were unearned in a 4-3 loss.

Carlsen enjoys his day-to-day role because he if closes a game and starts another in the same series, he enjoys the best of both worlds.

"I've started for so long, I really liked it," he said. "Then I started relieving and I liked that, too ... coming in in pressure situations. I really like being out there. It's tough being on the bench. I'd like to throw as many innings as I can. It's nice to have an influence on the (outcome of a) game."

It's easy to see why Carlsen is itching for competition. He was a three-sport athlete in high school, his other sport being basketball. He was a safety and quarterback in football, passing for 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior season.

Central Washington, Eastern Washington and St. Mary's considered him to play quarterback. Washington and Colorado showed interest, but did not offer him a scholarship. When Tom Cable was an assistant at Colorado, Carlsen impressed him enough that when Cable became Idaho's head coach, he offered him a football scholarship to the Division I-AA school. (Cable was fired after last season.)

Carlsen also comes from a family of athletes. His older brother, Jeff, pitched for the University of Washington from 1998-2001. Jeff Carlsen was drafted three times, the last by the Chicago Cubs in the 26th round in 2001. He has since been released.

Also, the Carlsen's cousin, Todd Carlsen, pitched for the Rainbows in 1989. Records show he made five appearances, including one start, totaling 10¡ innings with a 1.74 ERA.

Carlsen, a marine biology major, hopes his baseball career goes beyond UH.

"I'm really hoping to sign (as a free agent) like Chris (George) did or hope to get drafted," Carlsen said. "I'm just looking for a chance."