UH baseball postseason hopes dashed by injuries

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

It was sort of a bittersweet season for the University of Hawai'i baseball team.

It improved by one win overall (31-24 from 30-26) and two more in the Western Athletic Conference (13-16 from 11-19) from last season.

But hopes of postseason play and a second-place conference finish diminished with injuries that left them with few reserves on offense and depleted and taxed arms on the mound.

"There's no question we were much improved, a much better baseball team for what I thought was a postseason team with everybody healthy," UH third-year coach Mike Trapasso said. "But you have to deal with it. Yet, it was tougher than most years you will see (because of) the amount of crazy injuries that we've had."

The injuries built like a crescendo. It started with left-hander Mark Rodrigues not able to pitch because of torn ligament in his elbow. He had Tommy John surgery by Dr. Lewis Yocum over the weekend and is expected to be out again next season. The Kaua'i High graduate was anticipated to be a front-line starter.

Center fielder Robbie Wilder was to be the leadoff batter, but hamstring and shoulder problems shelved him for more than half the season.

Left fielder Jaziel Mendoza (hamstring), second baseman Isaac Omura (ankle), right fielder Greg Kish (ankle), pitcher Stephen Bryant (back) and pitcher Rich Olsen (elbow) also missed playing time because of injuries.

The final blow came when catcher Creighton Kahoali'i suffered a season-ending knee injury against Rice. Ironically, it happened after he hit a triple in a 7-4 win that triggered hope for a strong finish. Although the Rainbows won again the next night, Kahoali'i's injury, along with Wilder's, sapped UH's depth, which had been the strength at the outset of the season.

Injuries to Rich Olsen left the bullpen with Guy McDowell, Darrell Fisherbaugh and Chuck Withers. That left little room after starters Ricky Bauer, Bryant and Clary Carlsen.

"Basically using five guys, six at the most, you just can't do that," Trapasso said.

Trapasso said the 1-5 start — getting swept by Texas and losing two of three to Cal State Northridge — forced him to use players he felt were ready for action. That capped playing time for redshirt freshman catcher Steve Bell-Irving and JC transfer infielder Andrew Castillo, as well as for pitchers Keahi Rawlins (19 innings, 6.63 ERA), Kaimi Mead (five innings, 7.20) and Matt Buck (three innings, 15.00).

"Starting off slow like we did, necessitated our playing every single game with the guys we thought could help us win the game," Trapasso said. "It took away some at-bats maybe and some innings possibly from our younger guys, which is a shame for them. The rest of the team, the university and our program deserve our putting out the best game we can. So after that 1-5 start, we couldn't afford to put anything we thought was less than our best."

Other players who saw limited action before the halfway point of the season and those who did not play will be red-shirted, Trapasso said. They include Rodrigues, Olsen, shortstop Troy Hanzawa, first basemen Jonathan Hee, left-hander Isaac Kamai and outfielder Derek DuPree.

"Our first two series of the year and our last two series of the year really hurt us," Trapasso said. "Everything in the middle was a great year for our kids."

Wait until next year

The Rainbows lost seven players to eligibility (seniors) and anticipate losing at least three — infielder Mike Griffin, left-hander Buck and right-hander Jonathan Serapion — who are looking at transferring to junior colleges. Bell-Irving's status is still unclear, Trapasso said.

"Playing time is a major issue with guys and you always want to be straight with guys," Trapasso said. "You're not doing guys any favors if we're recruiting and getting in more talent, and getting better to a point where they wouldn't be playing. We owe it to them to let them know what their status is."

Bauer, a junior, might be lost to the draft.

The infield returns second baseman Omura and third baseman Rocky Russo, while the outfield will have Wilder, Kish and Inouye back. Also returning is designated hitter Nate Thurber.

Trapasso is anticipating using Inouye in right field because of his arm strength, if he is not needed behind the plate.

"I think his future will be in the outfield because he can run and he has a great arm," Trapasso said.

Also, there is the anticipated return of 6-foot-8 pitcher Colby Summer, who has missed the past two seasons with an elbow injury. He will test his arm at Aloha (Ore.) of the Pacific International League this summer.

The other positions will be filled by red-shirts or incoming recruits.

Infusion of new talent

Hawai'i added three more junior college players to bring its 2005 recruit total to 22. But at least one will not be joining the team. 'Aiea all-star catcher Aaron Asher said he will attend Yavapai (Prescott, Ariz.) junior college because he has yet to make a qualifying SAT score. He said he is going there with the hope of transferring to UH after two seasons.

The latest signees are right-hander Justin Conti of Northeast Oklahoma State A&M, right-hander Larry Ellenbrook of Southern Nevada College and first baseman/outfielder Andrew LeFave of Lynnwood (Wash.) College.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.