It will be another three weekends before Wisconsin-Milwaukee plays a game on its home field. But that's fine with Panthers' first-year coach Scott Doffek.

"When I left home yesterday, it was 32 (degrees) and snow in my back yard," Doffek said.

The Panthers (0-9) arrived here yesterday afternoon for a four-game series, which includes a doubleheader tomorrow, with Hawai'i (15-8) starting 6:35 tonight. It is the first meeting between the programs.

This is UH's second opponent this season to arrive here winless. Chicago State came here 0-6 and was swept in a five-games series.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee was picked to finish third in the six-team Horizon League. The Panthers finished second in the regular season last year, but were eliminated from their postseason tournament after three games. The tournament champion was Wright State, which UH eliminated from the Corvallis (Ore.) Regional in June.

"As expected, we're very inexperienced, so we're a little bit road-tested right now, playing very good competition," Doffek said. "Since day one, we've been talking about treating it as a process and trying to come out and get better every day and try to get some experience on the fly."

Like the Rainbows, the Panthers have played two nationally ranked teams. Each fared about the same. Hawai'i is 1-5 against Wichita State and Arizona, while UWM is 0-6 against Arkansas and Kentucky.

Doffek had served as an assistant to former UWM coach Jerry Augustine for 12 years. Augustine, a former pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers, left to tend his insurance business. While the transition was smooth, the timing was not as far as scheduling and player personnel.

"I knew the timing would be very difficult with the schedule that we had," Doffek said. "The lack of experience returning, it would be a tough matchup but you have to start some time."

What hasn't helped is Ross McCoy and Rob Brockel, who combined for 95 RBIs last season, have one RBI between them after nine games.

The Panthers are slated to start Robert Michalkiewicz (0-2, 4.67 ERA) tonight against UH's Ian Harrington (3-0, 3.00) in a matchup of southpaws. The doubleheader will see Tim Hoy (0-0, 5.79) against UH's Mark Rodrigues (5-1, 2.58), another duel of left-handers, in the opener, with Mike Rauwerdink (0-3, 6.75) against UH's Joshua Schneider (2-1, 1.85), both right-handers, in the second game.

Neither team has settled on a starter for Sunday.

Hawai'i's Derek DuPree returned to the outfield last weekend after being used as a designated hitter earlier as he slowly worked his knee back to form. Although DuPree was a center fielder last year, he will likely remain in left, UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

"I don't think his knee will bring him back to the point where he can do that," Trapasso said. "Even if he were, we're a better outfield with (Brandon) Haislet in center and Dupes in left. That's a real good outfield right there, no matter who we put out there in right field, whether it be (Jorge) Franco or (Evan) Zimny, or (Ryan) Asato."

The Rainbows begin Western Athletic Conference play next week. They won't have a non-conference series until they travel to UH-Hilo May 3 to 5.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.