The University of Hawaii baseball team is bracing to be without two of its top starting pitchers for this weekend’s three-game series against Cal Poly.
Right-hander Neil Uskali and left-hander Dominic DeMiero were scratched from their scheduled starts last weekend because of what was termed “tenderness” in their pitching arms. UH coach Mike Trapasso said their availability is “questionable to doubtful” against Cal Poly.
Uskali and DeMiero each underwent an MRI on Monday afternoon. They are scheduled to meet with the doctors today. Trapasso said the wish is neither incurred structural damage to their arms and that it will be a “matter of waiting for any pain and inflammation to die down before they start throwing again.”
While saying any speculation is “premature,” Trapasso said the Rainbow Warriors are “planning and moving forward with the expectation (Uskali and DeMiero) won’t be available this week.”
Trapasso said freshman Cade Smtih is a leading choice to follow Jackson Rees in the starting rotation. But freshman Jeremy Yelland, who was chased in the second inning on Sunday, is a wait-and-see candidate.
Trapasso said Logan Pouelsen’s pitching availability is questionable. Pouelsen did not pitch last weekend because of tenderness in his right (throwing) arm, but he was used as a designated hitter.
“We could very well be going into the weekend with Jackson Rees, then TBA on Saturday and TBA on Sunday, and see how each game goes,” Trapasso said. “We’ll take it one game at a time, try to win that game with everybody who’s available, and worry about tomorrow tomorrow.”
Trapasso said the ’Bows have been relatively fortunate this season.
“Injuries are something that happen every year, and pitchers get sore,” Trapasso said. “That’s just the way baseball is. Up to this point, we’ve been very fortunate. Unfortunately, this happened, and it didn’t come at a good time, obviously, because we were right in the hunt. We’re still in the hunt. We have to find a way for the guys who haven’t pitched as much or haven’t pitched as well to pitch and pitch better.”
The ’Bows and UC Irvine are 8-7 in the Big West, 21⁄2 games behind leader Cal State Fullerton (9-3).
