Heck Week began three days ago for the Hawaii baseball team.
On what is known as “Competition Tuesday,” the ’Bows held an intrasquad scrimmage to determine the final spots on the 29-player travel roster for a six-game road trip.
“I always say the players make out the lineup, and the pitchers make out the pitching rotation,” said coach Rich Hill, whose staff charts every play of every practice, scrimmage and game. “Every week it’s a battle. … Always competition. Guys are always on. That just translates into their play, especially mental toughness.”
The ’Bows will be tested during a 10-day trip that begins with today’s noon game against San Diego in the Tony Gwynn Legacy on the San Diego State campus. Because of the threat of inclement weather in San Diego, the ’Bows will have a bye on Saturday, then complete the tournament against North Dakota State on Sunday and against San Diego State on Monday. The ’Bows then travel to Minneapolis to play Minnesota, Nebraska and Maryland in the Cambria College Classic.
“We’re excited for the challenge,” infielder/outfielder Kyson Donahue said. “I guess it doesn’t really matter who we play. At this point, we’re all ready to compete, and we have fun doing it.”
It will be a mini reunion for Hill, who was San Diego’s head coach for 23 years. He also is a former San Diego State infielder. Hill, who still owns a home in San Diego, said he roots for his former teams’ successes but is not nostalgic — for now — about his return.
“It’s not about going back,” Hill said. “I’m so locked into (the UH players) and our own staff. It’s more about doing what we need to do to win the game. All that stuff — the time for reflection and going back and honors — is done when you’re done coaching. That’ll be down the road in a decade.”
The ’Bows won three of four against Wright State to open the season. Hill likened that series to the go-for-it approach in surfing. “There are so many elements, and then you decide to spin and go, and you make that wave,” Hill said. “And you kick off and you’re like, ‘yeah, let’s go.’ … When we prove to ourselves that we can finish a weekend and and we can win that little unforeseen little intangible thing that gives you confidence, just like that big wave.”
The ’Bows showed depth and versatility against WSU. Ben Zeigler-Namoa hit .400 and earned a victory with three shutout innings. Jared Quandt, who did not play last season while recovering from a shoulder injury, hit .571, including a home run and a walk-off double, to make a case for an outfield spot. The ’Bows still need to find at-bats for outfielders Naighel Ali‘i Calderon and Sean Rimmer.
Donahue, who joined UH as a shortstop in August 2021 as a transfer from Oregon State, has played third, left field and first base. He has displayed improved power after gaining 15 pounds, as well a mixture of patience (four full counts) and aggressiveness (2-for-3, including a homer, on first-pitch swings). This will be Donahue’s third appearance in the Tony Gwynn Legacy, hitting .300 while with Arizona in 2020 and UH last season.
Donahue’s cousin, shortstop Jordan Donahue, is hitting .385 and showing range and arm strength on defense. After committing 11 errors last season, Jordan Donahue handled 12 chances without an error while turning four double plays last weekend.
“That’s one thing I take a lot of pride in is my defense,” Jordan Donahue said.
Hill said: “He’s so coachable. I’ve never heard him make an excuse. … He’s soft-spoken, but he just works his tail off. If you saw him the first day he showed up to campus, it is remarkable. There’s not an adjective that describes how much he’s improved.”
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NCAA BASEBALL
At Tony Gwynn Stadium
HAWAII (3-1) VS. SAN DIEGO (3-0-1)
>> When: Today at noon
>> TV: None
>> Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
