Matt Sisto insists it only took a "couple of hours" to get over the disappointment of going undrafted in last summer’s MLB draft.

One look around Les Murakami Stadium on Monday morning showed why.

"At first it was tough, but then I thought about playing in front of 4,000 fans every night, pitching every weekend and getting my degree in Hawaii," he said. "It’s not so bad."

The Rainbow baseball team held its first official practice of the spring Monday with the season opener against Oregon looming just a month away.

UH welcomes 18 newcomers this year, one more than the returning number of letterwinners, which includes Sisto, one of only four pitchers who threw meaningful innings in 2011.

With the loss of senior Connor Little for the season with a broken ankle, a heavy burden falls on Sisto and sophomore Jarrett Arakawa, who will try to carry the load as the newcomers experience their first taste of Division I baseball in Hawaii.

"A lot of the kids don’t understand what it’s like to pitch here in front of 4,000 screaming fans," Sisto said. "These guys have talent … it’s a lot different pitching in this atmosphere facing college hitters."

Hawaii had six pitchers drafted last year, including four juniors.

Left off that list was Sisto, Hawaii’s ace, who went 5-5 with a 3.67 ERA and ended the year with a dominant outing in the Western Athletic Conference tournament, allowing no earned runs in seven innings.

He’s 3-0 in his past three postseason starts, allowing four earned runs in 21 innings.

"We look for him to do what he’s done the last two years and even increase it," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "Last year’s starters were asked to really go six strong innings because we were so strong in the bullpen, but that’s not the case right now.

"The bullpen is an unknown and we won’t know until we get going."

Freshman left-hander Scott Squier and junior college transfers Jon Flinn and Corey MacDonald figure to enter the rotation mix, with senior Jesse Moore a candidate as well.

UH will also use a wait-and-see approach at the back end of the bullpen as it figures out how to replace Lenny Linsky, a second-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Offensively, it’ll take time adjusting to life after All-American Kolten Wong, who started all but two games in his three years with the program before the St. Louis Cardinals took him with the No. 22 overall pick.

UH spent much of last year tinkering with the left side of its infield. This season, junior Pi‘ikea Kitamura is expected to make a full-time move to shortstop, with senior Collin Bennett taking over at third after playing most of his career in the outfield.

"There’s definitely a lot to be decided and I think this spring is about putting up numbers and performing and showing you’re really ready right now regardless of how you did (in the fall)," Kitamura said. "(Shortstop) is definitely where I want to be, so we’ll see how it works out."

Junior Breland Almadova anchors an outfield group that could include freshman Kaeo Aliviado starting just a year removed from his senior year at Saint Louis.

"I’m just living it trying to go day-to-day right now," said Aliviado, who hit .500 his senior year. "I’m looking forward to this spring season just getting the reps mainly in the left-field spot and trying to get better."

Senior Garrett Champion started 39 games at catcher last year but will be challenged by incoming freshmen Cody Clark and Trevor Podratz.