honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 18, 2008

Nevada's offense hitting its stride

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Mike Trapasso

spacer spacer

WAC BASEBALL

WHO: Nevada (21-14, 8-4) vs. Hawai'i (16-21, 8-8)

WHEN: 6:35 p.m. today, 1:05 p.m. tomorrow (DH), 1:05 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium

TICKETS: Blue/orange sections $8; Red section, $6 adults; $5 seniors; $3 UH students and students ages 4 to 18.

PARKING: $3

RADIO: 1420AM

TV: KFVE (Ch. 5), all live

spacer spacer
Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

David Ciarlo

spacer spacer
Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser
spacer spacer

One series at a time, Hawai'i will try to continue its ascent in the Western Athletic Conference standings when it hosts Nevada in a four-game series starting tonight at Les Murakami Stadium.

Since being swept at Sacramento State three weekends ago, sending them to the bottom of the standings, the Rainbows have taken series from San Jose State and New Mexico State, passing each along the way to move into sole possession of fourth place.

The 'Bows (16-21 overall, 8-8 WAC) can pass the Wolf Pack (21-14, 8-4) by taking this series, too. Nevada is in third place, one game behind first-place Fresno State and a half-game behind Sacramento State.

Nevada has been on a roll, too, since dropping 3 of 4 to Fresno State, having won eight of its last 10. The Wolf Pack are coming off a four-game sweep of Utah Valley State, which plays UH May 15 to 17. Nevada took 6 of 8 from UH last year, including the last five. The Rainbows were swept in a three-game series at Nevada and then lost two in the double-elimination WAC tournament, which also was held in Reno.

The Wolf Pack, picked to finish third in a preseason poll by the league's coaches, lead the conference in hitting at .321. The next closest is Sacramento State at a distant .298.

"They can really hit," UH coach Mike Trapasso said. "I knew going into the season they had a chance to win our league because of who they had coming back offensively. Their experience is in their offense and they're leading our league in hitting now by about 20 points."

The Wolf Pack average 7.6 runs per game, second-best in the league to New Mexico State's 9.1. (UH is last at 4.4.) Their offensive prowess is reflected by their experience, as six position starters return, four of them seniors.

Their leading hitter is senior second baseman David Ciarlo, the WAC leader in batting (.439), on-base percentage (.538), slugging percentage (.694) and triples (4). He has three home runs and 21 RBIs. Senior third baseman Jason Rodriguez is third in the league in hitting (.379) and fourth in on-base (.475) and slugging (.659) percentages. He leads the team with seven home runs and is second with 35 RBIs.

Senior center fielder Jason Sadoian (.342) has scored 31 runs. Senior DH Terry Walsh (.283) has six home runs and 23 RBIs. Junior left fielder Matt Bowman is 10th in the WAC in hitting at .347 and has four homers and 27 RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Shaun Kort is ninth in the league in hitting at .349 with four homers and 38 RBIs.

With hitters like that, the Rainbows' pitching is in for a test. But like last weekend, the only known starting pitchers are Jared Alexander (4-3, 2.39 ERA) tonight and Nick Rhodes (2-4, 5.57) tomorrow. It will once again be whoever is available after that will start.

"It's going to be a challenge for us this weekend," Trapasso said.

Hawai'i used the bucket-brigade method to clinch the series against NMSU last weekend, staffing the last game. The doubleheaders in the series force coaches to get creative with their pitchers. The Rainbows bolstered their pitching with the addition of JC transfer Alex Bates, who made his debut last weekend after missing most of the first half of the season with tendinitis. Also able to pitch is JC transfer Alex Myers, who also made his pitching debut last week. He is a first baseman/DH.

The Wolf Pack have named three of their four starting pitchers, two of whom are returnees.

One is 6-foot-7 senior right-hander Rod Scurry (4-4, 3.51), son of the former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher of the same name. He has 42 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings, and ranks third in the league in batting average allowed at .209.

Kyle Howe (5-0, 2.91), the other returnee, is fourth in batting average allowed at .210.

Freshman left-hander Brock Stassi (2-0, 4.15) is the third starter for Nevada.

The Wolf Pack have a tie to Hawai'i. Freshman reserve outfielder Waylen Sing Chow is a 2007 graduate of Kamehameha.

Tonight marks the second half of the WAC season. UH plays at Louisiana Tech next week, then returns to play Sacramento State before closing at New Mexico State.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.

• • •