Baseball ’Bows hope to break through against UC Irvine

Every rose has its thorn, every ant has its anteater.

Hawaii (14-8) faces its baseball tormentor in today’s Big West Conference opener against host UC Irvine (13-10) at Anteater Ballpark.

“We’ve never won a series at Irvine,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said.

The Rainbows have never won a game there since joining the Big West for the 2013 season. The ’Bows were swept in three-game series in 2013 and 2015. The teams split the past two series, in 2016 and 2017, both in Honolulu.

“This is a Mike Gillespie-coached team,” Trapasso said of the Anteaters’ head coach. “Any time you’re playing against Mike Gillespie, you’ve got your hands full. You cannot make mistakes. You’re going to have to play the short game. You’re going to have to defend the bunt. You’re going to have to hold runners. It’s really important to keep the leadoff man off base every inning when you’re playing against a Mike Gillespie team. They don’t make mistakes. They’re playing defense at a tremendous clip.”

Gillespie is one of the few coaches who replaced a legend (USC’s Rod Dedeaux) and then became one. He was 770-476-4 at USC, leading the Trojans to to the postseason 15 times in 20 years, including three appearances in the College World Series. This is his 11th season at UCI.

The ’Bows will start junior Jackson Rees today, freshman Cade Smith on Friday, and senior Neil Uskali on Saturday. Dom DeMiero, who has started six games this season, has been moved to the bullpen after three problematic outings in a row.

Rees said he has had no recent problems with the blister-causing broken nail on his right (pitching) hand that forced him to miss a start two weeks ago. Trapasso expressed confidence in Smith, who is making the first road start of his career.

“The freshman part means nothing to (Smith),” Trapasso said. “We want him to go out there and do what he does. We want him to pound the zone and give us five or six innings, and then we can turn it over to the ’pen. He’s had two solid starts. Cade has earned this opportunity.”

Even with the season-ending injury to Colin Ashworth (broken ankle), set-up pitchers Logan Pouelsen, Jeremy Yelland and Kyle Hatton have provided a reliable bridge to closer Dylan Thomas (six saves). In their last appearances, Pouelsen threw two shutout innings, and Yelland struck out 10 of the 15 batters he faced.

Adam Fogel, who has played center field, right field and first base this season, leads the ’Bows in seven categories — average (.338), hits (27), runs batted in (13), runs (16), doubles (11), homers (three) and on-base percentage (.430). Several years ago, a youth-league coach told Fogel: “Never change that swing.”

“I’ve always stuck with it,” Fogel said.