Adversity is not a choice

But how you deal with it is

So what

Next pitch

Those words, on a sheet of paper taped to the wall, greet University of Hawaii baseball players when they return to their dugout at Murakami Stadium. After Sunday’s loss to West Virginia, it has to be revised from next pitch to next game and next series, as UH settled for a split and now gears up for four games in three days starting Thursday against Michigan.

UH hasn’t won a home series since taking two of three from Cal State Northridge last April. But according to coach Mike Trapasso, the Rainbows, now 6-7, are making significant progress despite looking bad in some important areas Sunday … most notably starting pitching, defense and clutch hitting.

At least they’re throwing strikes now.

The 17 walks in the 18-0 loss of two weeks ago against New Mexico seems like ancient history. Trapasso said the ‘Bows forgot about it right away, that the team knew the ridiculous numbers also including 18 hits allowed were a function of what can happen in a blowout loss early in a season, when pitchers aren’t at midseason form.

The UH staff yielded just one walk in winning two of the first three games against the Mountaineers. On Sunday, starter Josh Pigg issued zero free passes but suffered from other problems and allowed seven hits and three runs in three-plus innings.

West Virginia took advantage of Pigg’s pitches being high in the strike zone, the lack of tradewinds and Hawaii’s struggles in the field.

Part of the formula for winning by getting the ball over the plate is solid defense, and UH did not have that Sunday with four errors.

And West Virginia pounded Hawaii with nine extra-base hits among its 13 knocks, including Ray Guerrini’s two home runs.

“The wind might have something to do with it,” former UH pitcher Sam Kakazu said. “But I tell you what. I watched (West Virginia) take batting practice Friday, and they are capable.”

Trapasso agreed. “That’s a regional team in my mind,” he said.

The Wolverines could be one, too. Michigan has stumbled recently, losing three of its last five, but started out ranked 15th in the nation by Baseball America and began 5-0.

Hawaii was also one game under .500 at almost the same point as now last year. But the 2015 Rainbows who were 5-6 needed 20 games to win their next five, on the way to a third consecutive losing season.

Trapasso said this team is too even-tempered and consistently hard-working for that to recur.

“There’s a difference between emotion and intensity,” Trapasso said. “(Too much) emotion and you will crash and burn by game 25. Intensity is a commitment to being focused on what you’re supposed to be.”

Hawaii might not have the kind of depth, especially in pitching, where four-game series are to its advantage. The flip side is that won’t matter once the Big West schedule starts, and the series are three games.

And, by April 1 when league play starts against UC Irvine, UH’s hope is injured catcher Chayce Ka’aua and outfielder Marcus Doi are back to 100 percent effectiveness.

“When we put it all together, good things will happen,” said shortstop Jacob Sheldon-Collins, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a clean single in the first inning.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.