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’Bows’ tough schedule continues with Trojans

Senior Staff Reporter

Published: Thursday, March 11, 2010

Updated: Thursday, March 11, 2010

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Austin Larson

Junior left-handed pitcher Blair Walters relieves starting pitcher Matt Sisto against The Citadel Bulldogs on March 5 at Les Murakami Stadium. Walters pitched three innings in relief of Sisto, allowing three hits, a run and three strikeouts.

Only two teams have had a tougher schedule than the Rainbow baseball team so far according to WarrenNolan.com, which ranks Hawai‘i’s strength of schedule third in the country.

It will only get harder as the ’Bows welcome baseball powerhouse USC to Les Murakami for a four-game series starting on Friday.

“They are a very talented team; they have had some great recruiting classes, very physical, very talented, very draftable players,” said head coach Mike Trapasso. “It’s going to be a challenge for us.”

The Trojans have received solid performances from the top of their pitching rotation, with starters Ben Mount (3.32) and Andrew Tiggs (4.12) putting up respectable earned run averages. However, the back end of their rotation has hurt them, with ERAs ranging from 6.75 to 14.85.

The Rainbows (6-6) are coming off a series against The Citadel in which they dropped the first two games, but rallied back to win the final two to earn a split in the series.

Trapasso said “the biggest change” his team has made since the start of the season is that “offensively, we got on track and swung the bats well.”
“We still have some consistency we need to work on with our bullpen guys,” he added.

Junior starting pitcher Josh Slaats helped Hawai‘i pick up its second-straight WAC Pitcher of the Week Award. Slaats earned the award after sophomore closer Lenny Linsky won it the previous week.

Slaats pitched a complete game over The Citadel last Friday. Slaats took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and had a career-high seven strikeouts in his seven innings pitched that day.

Slaats has an ERA of 0.52 in 17.1 innings pitched, with just one earned run and 15 strikeouts.

“He made a mechanical adjustment that has helped him with his direction, which has helped with his command,” Trapasso said. “We have seen this from him in practice for a while now, but now he is starting to do it in the game.”

Hawai‘i and USC will start the series on Friday with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. The series will continue through the weekend with a game Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. The series showdown will conclude Monday at 6:35 p.m.

 

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