A down year by Big West baseball standards has made the conference wide open.
Three teams started the year ranked in the top 25 but only UC Santa Barbara (17-6) remains.
Perennial powers Cal State Fullerton (12-12) and UC Irvine (11-10) have struggled to stay at .500 or better while Cal Poly (7-14), which has won 87 games over the previous two seasons, enters conference play with the worst overall record of the nine teams.
Cal State Northridge, which finished tied for last with Hawaii last year, is 19-6 with a pitching staff that is third in the country with a 2.11 ERA, and UC Davis is a surprising 14-7-1.
To sum it all up, it’s anybody’s guess how the league will shake out.
"We’ve been talking about it for over a week now that (the Big West) is the golden ticket," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "Nobody is really running away with the conference."
The Rainbow Warriors haven’t fared well since joining the league in 2013, going 17-34 in conference games.
Hawaii (9-16) has lost eight of 11 heading into Friday’s opener at UC Irvine and hasn’t played well for most of the nonconference season.
There’s still plenty of optimism, though, because of the return of some key players. Hawaii added senior Jarrett Arakawa to the rotation three weeks ago and got sophomore Marcus Doi and senior Stephen Ventimilia back in the lineup last weekend after the two missed a combined 32 games with injury.
Doi, who is hitting .385 (5-for-13) in his past four games, has been able to play in the outfield without discomfort.
"I feel a lot better this time," Doi said last Sunday. "I told Coach I could play in the outfield and saw ‘left field’ next to my name on the lineup so I went out there and am ready to play there every game if needed."
An even bigger deal could be the shortening of series from four games to three.
Hawaii has had bullpen issues all season, but the loss of one game a week allows junior Kyle Von Ruden to move to the pen.
With Arakawa’s return, UH boasts a starting rotation that is 7-4 with a 1.92 ERA and allows opponents to hit a measly .226 against them.
"I think playing a three-game series is going to be incredibly huge for us because we definitely have the starting pitching for that," Trapasso said. "All of a sudden you add a guy like Von Ruden to the bullpen with Quintin (Torres-Costa), who seems to be making some adjustments, and you have (Josh) Pigg who has had a couple of good outings now."
Pigg has had control issues but has walked only one in his past 42⁄3 innings. Torres-Costa, who has struck out 24 in 17 innings, hasn’t given up a run in his past 32⁄3 innings out of the bullpen.
Hawaii’s batting average has jumped 13 points to .241 after piling up 23 hits in the past two games with Ventimilia back in the lineup hitting leadoff.
UH is 5-5 with Ventimilia and 4-11 without him.
"Friday, when we start conference, it’s a brand new season," Ventimilia said last Sunday. "Nonconference didn’t go the way we expected it to, but we still have all of Big West play to turn it around."
From a health standpoint, UH is in the best shape it’s been in for conference play since it joined the league. Now it’s time to show they can compete.
"I feel like we’re getting our full complement of guys back and that at least gives us a feeling that if we play well together, we can start being a little more consistent," Trapasso said. "Talk is cheap. We’ve been talking about things coming together for a few weeks now but we look fantastic one day and then struggle the next.
"We’re getting these older, more experienced guys back who can help with that but it remains to be seen. I’ll still take my chances with the three starting pitchers that we have."
The Big West sent three teams to the NCAA tournament in 2013 and four last season. It could potentially only be a one- or two-bid league this year with UCSB the only team currently sporting an RPI in the top 50.
Last year at this time, the Big West had three teams with an RPI in the top 35 and six with an RPI in the top 80, including Hawaii, which was ranked No. 79.
This year, the ‘Bows have an RPI of 255.
Here’s a look at the teams based on the preseason coaches poll (RPI and strength of schedule numbers courtesy of boydsworld.com):
Cal State Fullerton (12-12)
Head coach: Rick Vanderhook, fourth season, 133-67 (.665)
RPI/SOS: 58/8
Key players: RHP Thomas Eshelman, Jr. (2-2, 1.87 ERA, 431⁄3 IP, 4 BB, 53 K); RHP Justin Garza, Jr. (1-1, 2.00 ERA, 27 IP, 24 K); INF Josh Estill, So. (.321, 5 2b, 3 HR, 18 RBIs); DH Davi Olmedo-Barrera, Jr. (.282, 4 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBIs).
Notes: The Titans have been streaky, losing five of their first seven, winning the next seven and then losing seven of their past 10. Garza pitched for Team USA last summer and missed the start of the season with injury. Fullerton leads the nation averaging 9.1 strikeouts per walk.
Cal Poly (7-14)
Head coach: Larry Lee, 13th season, 403-298-2 (.575)
RPI/SOS: 251/127
Key players: DH Mark Mathias, Jr. (.362, 4 2b, 13 runs); INF Peter Van Gansen, Jr. (.393, 5 2b, 2 3b, 13 RBIs); RHP Casey Bloomquist, Jr. (1-2, 3.72 ERA, 29 IP, 30 K); RHP Danny Zandona, Sr. (1-1, 1.21 ERA, 3 SV, 221⁄3 IP, 32 K).
Notes: The Mustangs started the season ranked in the top 20 but were swept by both Baylor and Grand Canyon and have won only one series (vs. Pacific). They’re last in the conference with a 4.40 ERA and a .955 fielding percentage. Van Gansen leads the Big West with 52 hits.
UC Santa Barbara (17-6)
Head coach: Andrew Checketts, fourth season, 114-76-1 (.600)
RPI/SOS: 28/77
Key players: RHP Dillon Tate, Jr. (3-2, 1.69 ERA, 422⁄3 IP, 49 K); LHP Justin Jacome, Jr. (3-1, 2.27 ERA, 392⁄3 IP, 37 K); OF Andrew Calica, So. (.360, 5 2b, 2 3b, 9 SB, 21 runs); OF Cameron Newell, Sr. (.375, 3 2b, 2 HR, 16 RBIs); DH Robby Nesovic, Jr. (.400, 6 2b, 23 RBIs).
Notes: The Gauchos lead the league with a .307 batting average and are also tops in fielding (.977) while ranking second in ERA (2.24). Nesovic’s .400 average leads the conference; his 23 RBIs are also tops.
UC Irvine (11-10)
Head coach: Mike Gillespie, eighth season, 285-154 (.649)
RPI/SOS: 76/40
Key players: LHP Elliot Surrey, Jr. (2-2, 3.00 ERA, 42 IP, 38 K); RHP Matt Esparza, Jr. (4-1, 2.84 ERA, 38 IP, 34 K); INF Mikey Duarte, Jr. (.364, 10 2b, 14 runs); OF Keston Hiura, Fr. (.348, 6 2b, 4 HR, 15 RBIs)
Notes: UCI started the year 0-6 but has won 11 of 15 and five straight. Anteaters lead the conference with 15 home runs but are seventh with a 4.20 team ERA. Catcher Jerry McClanahan leads the conference with 17 walks and Duarte ranks second in doubles with 10.
Long Beach State (12-8)
Head coach: Troy Buckley, fifth season, 132-115 (.534)
RPI/SOS: 98/88
Key players: INF Garrett Hampson, So. (.307, 3 2b, 2 3b, 17 runs); RHP Kyle Friedrichs, Sr. (3-1, 3.22 ERA, 361⁄3 IP, 48 K); RHP Tanner Brown, Jr. (3-0, 1.62 ERA, 331⁄3 IP, 30 K); RHP Chris Mathewson, Fr. (2-2, 1.88 ERA, 24 IP, 18 K).
Notes: The pitching staff carries the team with 2.82 ERA and leads the nation in fewest hits allowed per nine inning (6.43). The offense ranks last in the conference with a .236 batting average and averages only four runs scored per game.
Cal State Northridge (19-6)
Head coach: Greg Moore, second season, 37-43 (.463)
RPI/SOS: 60/218
Key players: OF Chester Pak, Sr. (.344, 5 2b, 6 HR, 20 RBIs); OF Justin Toerner, Fr. (.323, 6 2b, 2 3b, 17 runs); LHP Jerry Keel, Sr. (3-1, 2.00 ERA, 36 IP, 32 K); RHP Rayne Raven, Jr. (4-1, 1.02 ERA, 351⁄3 IP, 43 K).
Notes: The Matadors lead the league and are third in the country with a 2.11 team ERA. They are tops in the conference in sacrifice bunts and sacrifice flies. Conner O’Neil (0.96), Raven and Keel rank in the top 11 in the conference in ERA while Pak leads the Big West with six home runs and 24 runs scored.
UC Riverside (10-15)
Head coach: Troy Percival, first season, 10-15 (.400)
RPI/SOS: 217/137
Key players: OF Vince Fernandez, So. (.313, 8 2b, 2 3b, 3 HR, 17 RBIs); INF Joe Chavez, Sr. (.287, 3 2b, 2 3b, 1 HR, 20 runs); RHP Angel Landazuri, So. (1-3, 2.47 ERA, 40 IP, 40 K); RHP Keaton Leach, Jr. (2-2, 2.87 ERA, 372⁄3 IP, 32 K).
Notes: The Highlanders rank third in the conference with a .276 batting average and sixth in ERA (3.82). Outfielder Mark Contreras went 6-for-13 with six RBIs as UCR took two of three from Tulane last weekend.
Hawaii (9-16)
Head coach: Mike Trapasso, 14th season, 391-376 (.510)
RPI/SOS: 255/159
Key players: OF Kaeo Aliviado, Sr. (.292, 3 2b, 4 HR, 16 runs, 16 RBIs); INF Stephen Ventimilia, Sr. (.306, 4 2b, 1 3b, 8 runs); RHP L.J. Brewster, Jr. (3-2, 1.83 ERA, 391⁄3 IP, 26 K); RHP Tyler Brashears, Jr. (3-2, 2.39 ERA, 372⁄3 IP, 26 K).
Notes: The Rainbow Warriors are seventh out of nine teams with a .241 batting average and rank last in team ERA at 4.54. Aliviado homered in four straight home games earlier this season after going deep once in his first three years.
UC Davis (14-7-1)
Head coach: Matt Vaughn, fourth season, 83-105-1 (.441)
RPI/SOS: 87/135
Key players: INF Tino Lipson, Sr. (.326, 4 2b, 2 3b, 1 HR, 19 runs); INF Nick Lynch, Sr. (.395, 15 2b, 2 HR, 17 RBIs); LHP Orlando Razo, So. (4-1, 1.85 ERA, 34 IP, 25 K); RHP Raul Jacobson, Sr. (2-0, 2.65 ERA, 371⁄3 IP, 29 K).
Notes: The Aggies lead the nation in stolen bases per game and are third overall with 59 swipes. The Aggies hit .284 as a team and have a respectable 3.34 team ERA. Lynch leads the country with 15 doubles while Kevin Barker ranks third in the nation with 17 stolen bases.
RAINBOW WARRIOR BASEBALL
In Irvine, Calif.
>> Who: Hawaii (9-16) vs. UC Irvine (11-10)
>> When: 3:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
>> Streaming video: ESPN3 (Friday and Saturday)
>> Radio: KHKA
PROBABLE STARTERS
>> UH: RH L.J. Brewster (3-2, 1.83 ERA); RH Tyler Brashears (3-2, 2.39); LH Jarrett Arakawa (1-0, 0.75 ERA).
>> UCI: LH Elliot Surrey (2-2, 3.00); RH Matt Esparza (4-1, 2.84); LH Evan Manarino (2-0, 3.65).
