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With pouting not an option, the Hawaii baseball team shook off Sunday’s come-from-ahead loss, reset the pitching rotation, and packed for this weekend’s road games against defending national champion Vanderbilt.
A day after the Rainbow Warriors blew a 4-0 lead to Washington State, coach Mike Trapasso was still disappointed.
“It was a game you have to win,” Trapasso said of the outcome that dropped the ’Bows to 7-3. “It was there for the taking. That’s baseball. Oh, goodness, that’s a game we should have won. Are we going to crawl into a fetal position and call it a night after 10 games? I don’t think so. I think this is a group that’s going to battle its tail off because this group is upset and angry (about the loss).”
During a recent 10-day span, the ’Bows played two four-game series. This weekend’s series against Vanderbilt is set for three games. Trapasso said Logan Pouelsen will pitch on Friday, Aaron Davenport on Saturday, and Brandon Ross on Sunday. In the series finale against WSU on Sunday, Ross pitched a two-hitter in seven scoreless innings.
“The way Ross pitched, it makes sense to give him another opportunity, and he’s earned it,” Trapasso said.
That means Cade Smith, who was the third-game starter the past two series, will return to the bullpen. In his lone relief appearance this season, Smith allowed two runs in four innings while throwing strikes on 43 of 51 pitches. In his two starts, he has allowed seven hits and seven walks while throwing 156 pitches in 71⁄3 innings.
“He’s shown in his starts, he’s hit a high pitch count and struggles with his command and secondary pitches,” Trapasso said of Smith. “One or two innings at a time, he can be really good for us out of the bullpen. That actually strengthens the bullpen more. In a three-game series, it could be big. … It’s not a demotion. We just need to use him in a role where his strength can be better utilized. Right now, it’s not as a starter.”
Even though this is a nonconference series, the ’Bows are taking 27 players, the travel maximum for games between Big West schools. Tyler Murray and Dallas Duarte are the true catchers traveling. Matt Campos, who can play several positions, is available as a third catcher.
The ’Bows are set to depart this evening. If pitcher Trevor Ichimura receives clearance from the NCAA, he might take a later flight to join the ’Bows. Ichimura transferred from Washington State last summer, and is awaiting a waiver that would allow him to play this season.
For now, the ’Bows are focused on a series that rearranged for this weekend. The teams were initially set to play in Honolulu in 2022 and in Nashville in 2023. But there was a cancellation, and Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin asked if the 2023 series could be moved to this year.
The ’Bows were set to play at Sacramento State this weekend. But Sac State agreed to give up this weekend and instead open the 2021 season against UH at Les Murakami Stadium.
With the Vanderbilt games sandwiched between the Washington State and Oregon series, Trapasso said, “we’re in the middle of a Murderer’s Row. But the whole thing is by design. We want to challenge ourselves. If it means a hiccup and blowing a game, like (Sunday) night, then so be it. It forces you to look at things you need to do to get better.”
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