MESA, Ariz. » Just how wide open is the Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament this year?

Consider the following:

» Three of the seven teams in the WAC finished tied for first at 11-7, marking the first regular-season championships for New Mexico State, Nevada, and Sacramento State.

» Fresno State, which has won five of the past six tourney titles, finished fifth, marking the first time since 1999 it placed outside of the top three in the league.

» Sacramento State will play its first game ever at Hohokam Stadium, which is hosting the tournament for the third straight year.

Add all of that up, and it’s anybody’s guess who will represent the conference in the NCAA tournament, which begins next week.

"I don’t think there is (a favorite)," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "I think Fresno is playing probably the best baseball of anyone right now, but with the parity of the league this year and only 18 games played, it’s really hard to tell who would have an edge."

Hawaii opens the tournament with the Bulldogs today at noon Hawaii time in a rematch of the last two title games won once by each team.

Fresno State finished an uncharacteristic 25-25 overall and 8-10 in conference play but won seven of its last 10, including series wins over Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and Sacramento State.

The Bulldogs are 3-2 against UH at Hohokam Stadium, but lost two of three to the Rainbows earlier this year at Les Murakami Stadium.

UH will start lefty Jarrett Arakawa, who allowed five runs — four earned — with a season-high eight strikeouts in seven innings against the Bulldogs.

Senior right-hander Matt Sisto, whose been battling a groin injury, will start Thursday’s game.

"It’s mostly to give Matt one more day after his bullpen," Trapasso said. "He’s not 100 percent but he’s as close as he’s going to be and I’ll take an 80 percent Matt Sisto over a lot of guys."

Arakawa finished the year 7-5 with a 2.64 ERA, but has given up 12 of his 27 earned runs allowed all season in his past two road starts.

Reliever Brent Harrison will be available to pitch this week, but is still bothered by pain in his right elbow. An MRI revealed no structural damage.

"As of right now, he’s cleared, but he’s got some inflammation," Trapasso said. "He’s going to have to throw through the pain."

Hawaii will also need its offense to step up, particularly outfielders Zack Swasey and Breland Almadova.

Swasey is hitting .284, nearly 40 points lower than last year, while Almadova is back up to .266 following a 4-for-9 series with three walks against Nevada.

Only two Rainbows finished the season hitting over .300, including shortstop Pi‘ikea Kitamura, who enters the tournament on a seven-game hitting streak.

First baseman Max Duval and catcher Garrett Champion both ended the season going 2-for-4 with two runs scored against the Wolf Pack.

"In my mind, I think we just need to play our game and I don’t think there’s a team here that can beat us when we do that," said Kitamura, one of five Rainbows playing here for the third time. "Guy for guy I don’t think there’s anyone that can beat us and I don’t see why we shouldn’t go through this tournament undefeated."