Hawai'i takes on No. 3 Rice in WAC series

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

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Western Athletic Conference WHO: No. 3 Rice (16-1 WAC, 34-7 overall) vs. Hawai'i (10-8, 27-16) WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium TICKETS: $6 red and blue sections; $5 adults red section; $4 65 and older red section; $3 students 4 to 18 and UH students in red section. PARKING: $3 RADIO/TV: KKEA (1420 AM) and KFVE (cable 5) will broadcast all games live PROBABLE STARTERS: 6:35 p.m. tomorrow—RU RH Philip Humber (9-1, 1.41) vs. UH RH Ricky Bauer (7-2, 2.74) 6:35 p.m. Saturday—RU RH Wade Townsend (9-0, 1.28) vs. UH RH Stephen Bryant (7-3, 2.39) 1:05 p.m. Sunday—RU RH Josh Baker (6-2, 3.06) vs. UH RH Clary Carlsen (6-5, 3.96)

How the Rainbows pitch against third-ranked Rice in this weekend's Western Athletic Conference series will matter more than how they might hit a pitching staff that features four potential early-round draft picks.

"The only way to best beat Rice is with a good pitching performance," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "Then at best, you scratch for runs because their staff is just superior to anyone in college baseball."

The second-place Rainbows (10-8 WAC, 27-16 overall) trail the defending conference and national champion Owls (16-1, 34-7) by 6 1/2 games. Rice's only conference blemish is compliments of UH. The Owls took 2 of 3 from the Rainbows in Houston in March. The Rainbows averted a sweep with a 5-3 win behind Clary Carlsen and Darrell Fisherbaugh, who tagged on 3á scoreless innings for the save.

"I feel like we're a little bit better prepared for them," UH ace Ricky Bauer said. "We've seen what they have and know what they're capable of now. Everybody seems pretty up so I think we're going to get at it."

Bauer said UH's win against Rice is not necessarily positive or negative.

"Psychologically, it might help, but it also might go against us because they might be mad because we're their only WAC loss," he said. "But I think we'll be all right."

In tomorrow's series opener, Bauer (7-2, 2.74 ERA) is scheduled to face Philip Humber (9-1, 1.41), who pitched a four-hitter with 17 strikeouts in a 3-0 win against UH last time. Stephen Bryant (7-3, 2.39), Saturday's starter for UH, pitched against Humber. All of the runs he was charged with were unearned.

Bryant is set to face Wade Townsend (9-0, 1.28), who did not start against UH in Houston. But he did pitch 7á innings of relief, allowing an unearned run in the Rice loss.

Josh Baker (6-2, 3.26) is scheduled to start Sunday against Carlsen. Baker went 1¡ innings, allowing four runs in the loss to UH. The fourth Owl standout is Jeff Niemann (5-2, 2.59).

Bauer pitched 1 1/2 innings and Bryant one inning of relief in Tuesday's 8-7 win against Hawai'i Pacific. The outings affected neither because for Bauer, Tuesday was his scheduled bullpen work and Bryant doesn't pitch until Saturday, Trapasso said.

The Rainbows should be better off this weekend in the bullpen with the return of Fisherbaugh (5 saves, 2.97), who hasn't pitched since April 25 at Fresno State. He had a sore shoulder that was remedied with rest.

But Rich Olsen, who hasn't pitched since working three scoreless innings on March 3 against Oregon State, is likely out for the season because of tendinitis in his elbow. Because he has appeared in less than 20 percent of the team's games and all occurred in the first half of the season, he can qualify for red-shirt status, Trapasso said.

Meanwhile, outfielder Greg Kish is doubtful for the Rice series, as he recovers from a sprained ankle he sustained at Fresno State. Kish is the team's leading hitter at .383. Kish was 4 for 10 in the Rice series at Houston.

Also, outfielder Robbie Wilder is day-to-day with a recurring hamstring problem. He had hamstring problems early in the season, but just as he recovered from that, he had a shoulder injury that limited his playing time.

Josh Green, who missed the HPU game to care for his infant daughter, is available to play the outfield for the Rice series.

"To be where we are now is a tribute to our depth," Trapasso said.

The Rainbows' goal is to reach 35 wins, meaning they need to finish 8-5, for an outside shot at consideration for a regional berth.

Hawai'i has six home games left, three with Rice and three next week against Fresno State.

The Rainbows close the season with a seven-game road trip. It starts with a WAC series at Nevada, continues with a mid-week non-conference game at Pacific, and concludes with a WAC series at San Jose State.

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