From here on, the University of Hawai'i baseball team's quest for the Western Athletic Conference title will be done at other teams' ballparks.

The Rainbows play the first of their final nine regular-season games today with a non-conference game at Grambling State of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Game time is 2 p.m., Hawai'i time, and will be broadcast on KKEA 1420 AM.

This will be the first meeting between the programs. The Tigers are 6-35, according to the SWAC Web site. They won 2 of 3 from Texas Southern over the weekend.

Left-hander Mark Rodrigues is scheduled to start today in a game that UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

But the crucial part of the trip starts Thursday when the first-place Rainbows (32-12 overall, 10-6 WAC) resume conference play at fourth-place Louisiana Tech (27-18, 9-8). UH's final two conference series are against teams still within striking distance for the top seed of the six-team WAC tournament. The 'Bows close the regular season May 19-21 at second-place San Jose State (3-17, 9-6).

"We got our work cut out for us, obviously, but we're in a position you want to be in with two series left. If you play well and be hot at the right time, you kind of control your own destiny," Trapasso said. "We have a challenge in front of us, but as I've said all year, with each challenge comes an opportunity."

Finishing first after regular-season play only means that team gets the top seed for the WAC tournament, which will determine the conference's automatic berth to regional play.

In a conference with no dominant team — only 4 1/2 games separate first from seventh — the fear is that the WAC will not be awarded any at-large regional berths. But Trapasso is hoping by finishing first in the regular season, that might give UH an outside chance if it does not win the tournament. Hawai'i has the best overall record in the WAC and took 2 of 3 from No. 22 Washington in the Rainbow Tournament.

But first things first.

The Rainbows will be running into a Bulldogs team trying to shake a five-game losing streak. LaTech opened last weekend in first place, but got swept by last-place New Mexico State and dropped to fourth, a game behind UH.

This became a four-game series because of a makeup for the March 19 rainout at Les Murakami Stadium. Thursday's 1 p.m., HST, game is considered the makeup and UH will be the "home" team. The series resumes Friday with LaTech reverting to the home team with another 1 p.m. HST start. A rare day-night doubleheader will be played Saturday. The first game is set for 7 a.m., HST, with the nightcap at 1 p.m.

Hawai'i will likely stick to its normal rotation of Steven Wright, Justin Costi and Ian Harrington. Trapasso said the fourth starter will be determined as the series progresses. Candidates have usually been Rodrigues or Matt Daly.

HARRINGTON HONORED

Hawai'i left-hander Ian Harrington was named WAC Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced yesterday.

The junior pitched his first complete game of the season in a 5-2 win against Sacramento State on Sunday. Harrington (5-2) gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits with no walks and struck out three.

He used only 96 pitches, mostly allowing his defense to make plays. Harrington, who had the flu the past couple of weeks, had two sub-par outings prior to Sunday.

Harrington is the fourth UH pitcher to earn the weekly award. Earlier this season, Wright, Costi and Rodrigues were honored.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.