It has been so long since the University of Hawai'i-Manoa baseball team has been in the thick of a May pennant race that you almost need to go to the dictionary to look up the definition of one.

But here the 37-12 Rainbows are today not only in the excitement of an honest-to-Les Murakami Era pennant run again, but leading the Western Athletic Conference at 14-6 to boot.

Not since the 1992 season, which is not coincidentally the last time the 'Bows hoisted a WAC baseball championship trophy, has UH really figured in contention this far into the month. May had been for holding the end-of-the-year banquet and getting an early start on recruiting, not threatening to hang banners.

To put this in historical perspective, Billy Blanchette, Kenny Harrison and Brady Perreira were stars at the time the last pennant race was in full chase. Gas prices ran about $1.35 per gallon and sportscaster Don Robbs wasn't old enough to be the players' grandfather.

In more recent times, what UH did hardly mattered in May since the WAC had usually been decided by now. As UH coach Mike Trapasso put it the other day, "By this time it had usually been wrapped up by the Owls."

Well, Rice has flown the coop and look who, indeed, is heading up the standings: UH. With two more weeks of the regular season (one for UH, which has final exams this week) to play, the pole position is the 'Bows' to do with what they will while Fresno State and San Jose State give chase.

How the Rainbows have found themselves in the driver's seat is no less remarkable. And hardly a fluke. That was underlined this past week by a five-game road sweep of Louisiana Tech and Grambling. Time was when five wins on the road was a good season total. No road worries and few woes for these 'Bows, however. They are 13-2 against jet lag, unaccustomed strike zones, misplaced luggage and home teams. Testament to good pitching, defense and focus.

So inspiring has their streak of 12 wins in the past 13 games been that the only disappointment to be found is that what's shaping up to be the best team sports story in town this year is taking place out of town.

For at a time when the Rainbows should be returning home to pennant fever and overflow crowds in Manoa, they are here only on stopover for exams and laundry. The rest of their regular-season games — a non-conference appearance against San Francisco and a three-game WAC series at San Jose State — are all on the continent next week. As will be the WAC Tournament on May 25-28 at Fresno State.

While it won't be played out in Hawai'i, UH at least finds itself back in the once familiar territory of a late-season conference pennant race.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.