A Hawaii offense in desperate need of help is close to getting it.
Sophomore Marcus Doi and senior second baseman Stephen Ventimilia are close to returning from injuries as Hawaii prepares for its final nonconference series against New Mexico State before the start of Big West play.
Doi, who has been out since aggravating a sports hernia in the season-opening series against Oregon, hopes to be ready as early as Saturday.
He’s taken the necessary three weeks to recover but has been held out an extra 14 days while going through a rigorous running program.
"I’ve been running before practice every day and then doing agility drills and then sprints," Doi said. "(It’s a) great workout. I’m tired throughout practice. I feel healthy for once. I’m not afraid to spring or stop or second-guessing anything."
Ventimilia injured his knee against Pepperdine three weeks ago and only Wednesday received a custom-fitted brace to wear while playing.
He worked out with it Wednesday morning and said it didn’t feel great, meaning he may wait an extra week before making his return.
"I feel all right," Ventimilia said. "I feel like it would be better to get into shape a little bit to make sure I don’t injure myself right away. I think I’ll be ready for the Big West."
Getting both back would be a huge boost to an offense that has struggled to produce runs all season.
Hawaii ranks 266th out of 295 Division I teams with a .228 batting average and has scored three runs or less in seven of its last 10 games.
Ventimilia, who hit over .290 as both a freshman and a junior, batted .286 in the eight games he played with a .429 on-base percentage.
Doi hit .345 in 58 at-bats as a freshman.
"We need that clutch hitting and I feel like if I was put into that situation I could help the team a lot," Doi said. "They seem really strong without me and (Ventimilia) right now but if we can both get back in (the lineup), we could be really solid."
Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso was noncommittal on either’s return, but sounded more optimistic about Doi than Ventimilia.
"We could see (Doi) this weekend but we’ll have to wait and see. He’s had two real good practice days and he needs to have another one today," Trapasso said. "I’ve had no thoughts that (Ventimilia) would be ready. You’re talking about a guy whose one overriding tool is compromised right now and if you take that away it really affects his game. We haven’t seen him (run) yet so I don’t know."
The Rainbow Warriors welcome old Western Athletic Conference rival New Mexico State to Les Murakami Stadium for the first time since 2012, when they swept the Aggies in a three-game series, outscoring NMSU 20-4.
The Aggies have gone through a major program overhaul since with former UH hitting assistant Brian Green now in his first year as head coach.
NMSU is just 2-15-1 overall but has played four games against No. 10 Oregon, two against No. 15 Texas Tech and two against Arizona.
Green served as an assistant under Trapasso in 2003 and ’04 before leaving to take a job at UCLA.
"It’ll be great seeing Greeny," Trapasso said. "We’ve stayed in contact over the years and he’s a good friend and great coach who will get New Mexico State going. I can guarantee they will come out with great energy and play the game the right way."
Friday night’s starter, senior Matt Loeffler, is a 2010 Waiakea High graduate with a 3.70 ERA in 24 1/3 innings.
UH is 9-3 against NMSU since the 2009 WAC tournament, held at Les Murakami Stadium, when the Aggies had two shots at winning a conference title, but lost to Fresno State twice.
RAINBOW WARRIOR BASEBALL
at Les Murakami Stadium
>> Who: New Mexico State (2-15-1) at Hawaii (7-13)
>> When: Thursday-Saturday, 6:35 p.m.; Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
>> TV: OCSports (Ch. 16/1016) Thurs.-Sat.
>> Radio: KKEA 1420-AM
PROBABLE STARTERS
>> NMSU: RH Riley Barr (0-2, 4.50 ERA); RH Matt Loeffler (0-0, 3.70); LH Trey Higginbotham (0-2, 3.79); LH Michael Paulson (0-1, 7.27).
>> UH: RH L.J. Brewster (3-2, 2.23); RH Tyler Brashears (3-2, 2.59); RH Kyle Von Ruden (1-1, 4.44); TBA
