Hawai'i returns to action today with a non-conference baseball game at Pacific.

Game time is 11 a.m., HST and will be broadcast on 1420 AM.

The Rainbows (24-12) swept a three-game series from the Tigers (8-25-1) in February at Les Murakami Stadium. Hawai'i is coming off taking two of three at Sacramento State and will resume Western Athletic Conference play beginning Friday at Fresno State. The Tigers have lost eight of their past nine games.

Hawai'i will staff today's game, starting with Matt Daly (2-1, 2.40), UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

"Four, five, six guys could throw," he said.

Daly has made three of the four starts not belonging to the usual rotation of Ian Harrington, Mark Rodrigues and Joshua Schneider. Daly pitched in relief in the Pacific series; he allowed three runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings in a game UH won, 4-3. But the right-handed Daly has both of his wins as a starter. He has pitched five innings in each start, but averaged 76 pitches in those starts. His ERA as a starter is 0.60.

Pacific was undecided on its starter as of late yesterday.

The Tigers are having a tough season, as reflected by their record. They average 4.8 runs per game, compared to UH's 6.5. Their team ERA is 5.59 compared to UH's 3.08.

Third baseman Justin Baum is their most productive hitter, leading the team in hitting at .394 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs.

Hawai'i's offense picked up the pace by averaging 8.7 runs per game in the Sacramento State series. But the Rainbows only outscored the opposition, 26-23. No UH starter lasted more than 5 2/3 innings in a series where the pitching took a beating to the tune of a 7.33 ERA. That was only the second time UH had a series ERA more than 3.67. The only other time was when Wichita State swept UH in a three-game series in which the Rainbows ERA was 6.67 ERA.

Kris Sanchez continues to lead UH in most of the offensive categories: batting average (.405), doubles (14), triples (2), home runs (7), RBIs (44) and slugging percentage (.702).

Cleanup hitter Brandon Haislet and No. 3 hitter Justin Frash lead the team in runs with 32 and 31, respectively. Each have on-base percentages of more than 45 percent. Yet they follow Sanchez in RBIs with Haislet at 25 and Frash at 18.

Eli Christensen appears to be on his WAC attack. As with last year, he started getting hot with conference play. He is batting .304 with a .421 on-base percentage.

Freshman Vinnie Catricala continues to give Trapasso a reason to keep him in the lineup. Catricala, who has started at DH in seven of the nine WAC games, was 5 for 13 with a double and his first collegiate home run against the Hornets. He is hitting .323 with a .408 on-base percentage.

The Rainbows remained in Sacramento through yesterday. They will take the hour-long bus ride to Stockton today. They will stay overnight before moving on to Fresno.

Six of the seven WAC teams have non-conference games today. Only New Mexico State is not playing.

HITTING THE ROAD

The Rainbows aren't the only ones off island this week.

Hawai'i Pacific will travel to Arizona to play Grand Canyon in doubleheaders Thursday through Saturday.

The Division II Sea Warriors (19-18) are coming off a four-game series split with Division I Hawai'i-Hilo in an inter-island battle of independents over the weekend at Central O'ahu Regional Park.

The Sea Warriors have a team batting average of .301, but average only five runs per game. That isn't enough when the team's ERA is 6.32.

Jason Shimizu, a senior right-hander from Cerritos, Calif., has been a bright spot on the mound with a 5-2 record to go along with a 2.82 ERA. He has two complete games in seven starts.

The next closest ERA on the club is Cruz Hatanaka's 5.08.

Freshman Tripper Chung, an all-state player a year ago at 'Aiea High, leads the team with 27 RBIs and is batting .358.

Junior Spencer Omalza, who played for HPU coach Garett Yukumoto at Leilehua, leads the team with a .365 batting average.

LONG WAIT

Meanwhile, the UH-Hilo Vulcans (11-26) are off for two weeks before resuming play when they host HPU for doubleheaders April 20 and 21.

Infielder Michael Higa has been the big run-producer with 34 RBIs. He leads the regulars in batting at .331 with eight doubles, three triples and one home run, which was a grand slam in Saturday's 8-1 win against HPU.

Outfielder David Chu is tied for the team lead with three home runs with A.J. Satele. Chu's 20 RBIs is second on the club.

Clayton Uyechi (2-2, 4.43) has racked up 51 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings. Lars Knepper (2-6, 4.98) has 63 in 59 2/3 innings.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.